


Matchmaker

by bornforwar_archivist



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-31
Updated: 2006-12-31
Packaged: 2020-03-17 10:18:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18963271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornforwar_archivist/pseuds/bornforwar_archivist
Summary: By DesireStory based on Jane Austen's 'Emma', but using a bit of the 'Clueless' approach. Buffy Summers is a young woman, who loves meddling in the business of those around her, especially when it benefits her greatly. But, even with all of her match making, she still remains utterly clueless about her own feelings for a certain man.





	Matchmaker

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Delenn, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Born For War](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Born_For_War), which closed in 2015. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in March 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Born For War collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bornforwar).
> 
> Rating: NC-17 
> 
> Status: COMPLETE 
> 
> Summary: Story based on Jane Austen's 'Emma', but using a bit of the 'Clueless' approach. Buffy Summers is a young woman, who loves meddling in the business of those around her, especially when it benefits her greatly. But, even with all of her match making, she still remains utterly clueless about her own feelings for a certain man.

CHAPTER 1:  
  
  
  
Okay, so I know what you’re thinking just by looking at me: ‘blonde, beautiful, wealthy, from California…she must be dumb as a rock and living the cliché’. Actually, I’m a pretty normal, humble person.  
  
“Rosa! Have you seen my red, Prada pumps?!"  
  
My mom owns the biggest art gallery in Sunnydale. She and my dad fought over it in divorce court, and after I shed a few tears on the stand like a tiny Drew Barrymore, the Summers Gallery was officially the property of the former Mrs. Joyce Summers, and she’s been working hard at it ever since.  
  
“Morning, honey." My mom smiled at me as I rushed into the kitchen, heading towards the coffee. If I don’t get my morning caffeine buzz, my day just doesn’t go right.  
  
“Morning, have you seen my Prada pumps?"  
  
“The red ones or the black ones?"  
  
“The red."  
  
“Nope, did you ask Rosa?"  
  
“You know Rosa, mom. I say one word to her and she just yells at me in Spanish."  
  
I like to think I look out for my mom, after divorce number three, Don, the lawyer, it’s been just the two of us. Who else would look out for her well being if not me?  
  
“Oh, mom, here, don’t forget your juice." I called to her, maneuvering around the kitchen- island to grab the cup full of the veggie drink. She made a face at me, refusing to take it. We go through this practically every morning.  
  
“I’m not drinking that, Buffy. It tastes like blended mulch."  
  
“It’s healthy blended mulch. It’ll help with your vitamin E levels and Doctor Browning says…"  
  
“I know what Doctor Browning said. I’m not drinking it. Where’s my briefcase? Rosa!"  
  
“It’s in the den where you left it."  
  
“Thank you honey." She smiled, kissing me on the cheek. “Now, I gotta go or I’m going to be late…oh, Buffy, I almost forgot! Spike’s in town and he’s coming for dinner tonight."  
  
“Why?!" The last thing I need is to have to put up with him.  
  
“Because, he’s your stepbrother."  
  
“Ex-stepbrother! That was like, five years ago and you were barely married to his dad for three minutes! Shouldn’t he have some new family to terrorize by now?"  
  
“You divorce husbands, not children."   
  
I sighed loudly, withering under her stern, mom look. There’s just no way I can compete with that mom look. “Here." I said, making one last attempt to give her the cup of ‘blended mulch’.  
  
“Uh-uh." Was the reply I got as she breezed out of the kitchen and through the front door.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Sunnydale High is your typical high school, as in completely divided into tiny little nations, also known as cliques. Cordelia and I belong to the more popular crowd. Oh, Cordy has been my best friend ever since junior high school. We kind of bonded over the fact people were jealous of us and have been virtually joined at the hip ever since.  
  
“Ugh! It’s not even eight-thirty and Xander’s already paging me! He’s so damn possessive, just this weekend he called me up asking me where I was, when I specifically told him I was going to my dad’s…"  
  
Cordy and her boyfriend Xander have one of those overly dramatic, Dawson’s Creek like, teenage romances. Deep down, they really care about each other, but you’d never know that since they practically fight every hour on the hour. I’m starting to think that they took a page out of my parent’s guide to relationships.  
  
“Why do you put up with him?" I said, shaking my head at her as we continued our walk to the quad. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like Xand. He’s a great guy and good for her, but one has to appease Cordelia Chase every now and again, that’s the key to sustaining a friendship with her.  
  
“I don’t know…" She sighed. “I could do so much better, oh wait, here he comes now."  
  
“Cordy, why haven’t you answered any of my pages?! Where have you been all weekend?!"  
  
“I told you! Speaking of our weekend whereabouts, your mom told me that you went out to the Bronze, with Harmony!"  
  
Oh great, another Ike and Tina showdown. I adjust my backpack, easing away from the two of them, this is a brand new outfit and I don’t want to get any blood on it.  
  
“I’ll see you later, Cordy." I called, heading off towards the main entrance.   
  
“Bye, Buffy! I’ve so had it with you, Xander Harris."  
  
*************************************************************  
  
  
Most people have one subject in school they’re great at, like your math or your science. I Buffy Summers am great at one thing, and one thing only…napping.   
  
There’s a certain technique you’ve got to have to get a good amount of sleep in a classroom. Those cold, hard desks they give us, don’t exactly make the best pillows, but if you lay your head just right, you can get a peaceful hour’s sleep and not even wake up with those ugly lines.  
  
“Buffy…Buffy….Ms. Summers!"   
  
Of course there are always those teachers who would rather you get an A in their class instead of in napping. Waking up to the cold, hard stare of my British Literature teacher, Mr. Giles can be just as big of a jolt as three cans of Red Bull.   
  
“Aw, Ms. Summers, so nice of you to join us this morning. Please, um, tell us, what is the setting for Wuthering Heights?"  
  
“Um…New Jersey?"   
  
Mr. Giles nodded his head at me in that sarcastic, British way of his, removing his glasses. Yeah okay, I know, stupid answer, but it’s like nine in the morning and I’m still a little groggy…  
  
“Thank you, Ms. Summers. And with that lovely note, I’m going to distribute your report cards. Is there an Owen Thurman in this class?"  
  
“Uh, Mr. Giles, the word on Owen is that his parents have joint custody, so he’ll be spending one semester here and the other in Philadelphia."   
  
“Thank you, uh, Harmony. Now, could all talking please come to a halt, and could the suicide attempts please be postponed until next period…sit down Mr. Jenkins."  
  
After Mr. Giles stopped Andy Jenkins from doing a swan dive out of the second story window, he gingerly placed the report card in my hand, moving on quickly, calling out the names in alphabetical order.   
  
Suddenly, a very dark cloud settled over first period.  
  
Shit.  
  
***************************************************  
  
“That troll gave me a D! A, D! Cordy, I’ve never had a D in my life!"  
  
“It’s still better than my D minus."  
  
“What is it with Mr. Giles?! Does he enjoy my pain?!"  
  
“He’s British." Cordy shrugged. “Who knows."  
  
“My mom’s going to kill me, this drags my whole average down!"   
  
Maybe I should take Andy’s lead and find a window or a flight of stairs to hurl myself down.  
  
  
***************************************************  
  
That damn D in British Literature, pretty much killed my entire day, but the sound of the Sex Pistols pouring out of the kitchen, buried it. Spike is here. Oh, joy.  
  
I guess I should fill you in on all things annoying ex-stepbrother related. My mom took one of her buying trips to London back in 99’ and came back with a new daddy and an irritating older brother for her only child. The marriage didn’t last so long, but for some reason Spike kept hanging around, I guess he could never fully comprehend the meaning of ‘divorce’. And don’t even ask me where he got that ridiculous nickname from…  
  
“All black? Didn’t you get the memo, the Goth look died out in 97." I smirked at him as I walked into the kitchen.   
  
Come to think of it, I’ve never seen him in another color besides black. The only things that stand out about William ‘Spike’ Douglas would be his platinum blonde curly hair, mile high cheekbones, and piercing ice blue eyes…not that I ever pay them any attention…  
  
“Buffy, didn’t expect you home so early, what happened luv, no sales at the Gap today?"  
  
“Ha, ha. Don’t you have some other family to stalk?"  
  
“Nope." He grinned at me, snatching an apple out of the fridge. “I went by mum’s gallery."  
  
“She’s not your ‘mum’."   
  
“And…she told me to tell you, she didn’t forget it was report card day." He gave me that grin of his again, that mocking gleeful one, the one that said he knew I was in a shitload of trouble, and he was going to enjoy watching every minute of it.   
  
I groaned loudly as I followed him out of the kitchen and into the den, flopping down in a heap on the couch. This day just keeps getting better and better…  
  
“What’s the matter, pet?" He smiled, taking another bite out of his apple. “Grades not up to par?"  
  
“No, it’s just, my report card’s not ready yet."   
  
Spike scoffed, snatching the remote out of my hands, turning the channel to CNN. Told you he was annoying…  
  
“What do you mean they’re not ready…"  
  
“Well…you remember Don don’t you…?"  
  
“Mmm, the third husband, lawyer right?"  
  
“Yeah, well, if there’s one thing Don taught me, it was never to accept a first offer. These grades are like…the start of negotiations."   
  
Spike rolled his eyes at me, chuckling a bit. “You are bloody unbelievable. What makes you think you can deal your way to better grades?"  
  
“Only the fact that I’ve done it every semester since ninth grade." I grinned, snatching the remote back, flipping it to MTV. I am not about to miss TRL just because he wants to hear about Middle East peace agreements.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER 2:  
  
  
  
I consider myself a genuinely pleasant person, charming if you will, and that same positive image of me has always been held by my teachers, that is until Mr. Giles came along.  
  
“Ms. Summers, you rarely turn in homework, your test grades are extremely poor, you spend more time snoring in this class than you do paying attention to the lectures, and you told me Emily Bronte’s classic novel was set in ‘New Jersey’. Why in god’s name would I ever consider changing your grade?"  
  
So, Mr. Giles was going to be a hard egg to crack, but something told me not to give up on him. Something was severely lacking from my dear literature teacher, and I figured it was up to me to find that bug up his ass and squash it.  
  
“Now, if you’re quite done wasting my time, Ms. Summers, I have lesson plans to work on." As Mr. Giles put his hand on my shoulder, shoving me towards the door, his lack of a wedding ring particularly caught my eye.  
  
“Are you married, Mr. Giles?"  
  
“No, Ms. Summers." He sighed. “I am not married."  
  
Why am I not surprised.  
  
“Then you must have a girlfriend, I mean, someone as smart and ruggedly handsome as yourself surely isn’t single…"  
  
“Actually, my ‘ruggedly handsome’ self as you put it, is very single."  
  
Bingo! No wonder he’s so mean and bitter, he’s spending way too much time with tea and crumpets, and not getting any smoochies.  
  
“Now, good day, Ms. Summers."  
  
****************************************************  
  
“So how did the grade switching go?" Cordelia asked, slicing up her veggie pizza, if you cut it into smaller portions, it equals fewer calories. It was officially noon, and we had all converged in the quad for lunch, take-out of course, no one would be caught dead eating the poison in the cafeteria.  
  
“Five and one." I mumbled, taking a sip of my diet coke. “Mr. Giles can be a very uncompromising man."   
  
“Just forget him, Buffy. He’s a miserable little man in tweed who wants to make everyone else around him miserable."  
  
“See, I thought that too, but, I’ll have you know our Mr. Giles is single…"  
  
Cordelia snickered, taking a tiny bite of her food. “Not the biggest shock in the world." She looked up at me, her face dropping a bit, she knew the look in my eyes very well and it always scared her death. “Oh no, I can see the wheels turning in head…"  
  
“What that man needs is some good old fashioned slap and tickle."  
  
“God, Buffy! I can do without the imagery, okay?!"  
  
“What?" I shrugged. “It’s true. He’s sort of good looking for an old guy, and I bet if he had a woman to irritate, he would spend less time irritating his students."  
  
“You could be right, but where are you going to find a woman brave enough to put up with him for more than two seconds." Cordy grinned at me. “Hey, how about your mom?"  
  
“No! She’s finally gotten to that, independent, menopause stage of womanhood, where she thinks she doesn’t need a man to complete her. I like that stage, we’re not leaving it."  
  
“Well, where else are you going to find a woman around his age?"  
  
Cordy was right, my mom aside, there were no real women around. Most of the female teachers at Sunnydale were mutants and I don’t hate Mr. Giles enough to do that to him. Then, like a sign from the heavens, came my answer, wearing a very cute mini-skirt I might add.  
  
“Hi, my name is Ms. Calendar, I’m new here, and I was wondering if you could tell me where the computer lab is?"  
  
“Sure." I smiled brightly. “It’s right up the stairs on the second floor, first room to your left. You must be substituting for Mr. Jacee?"  
  
“Right." She chuckled nervously. “Thanks for your help."   
  
“No problem."  
  
Perfect.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
I spent the next few weeks making some keen observations. Any time Mr. Giles and Ms. Calendar, who was now Sunnydale’s new computer science teacher (Mr. Jacee was never found for some reason…), where around each other, it was like an adorable comedy of errors. Sparks were flying everywhere, but nothing was happening. I couldn’t very well stand by and not do anything about it, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t give them that extra push towards bliss.  
  
“…My soul’s long lacked food, my heaven’s bliss. Leaves, lines, and rhymes, seek her to please alone, Whom if ye please, I care for other none." Cordelia beamed at me as she re-folded the letter, tucking it carefully amidst the stacks of papers on Ms. Calendar’s desk.  
  
“God, Buffy, that’s beautiful! Did you write that?"  
  
I gave Cordy the ‘duh’ look, shaking my head. I love her to death, but she can be so incredibly dense sometimes.  
  
“No, brain-trust. It’s like a famous sonnet."  
  
“Oh, who wrote it?"  
  
“I don’t know, it was the first thing I saw when I opened my literature book."  
  
************************************************************  
  
“Hey, I was watching that!"  
  
I rolled my eyes at Spike, throwing his legs aside so I could flop down on the couch next to him. Already the freeloading has started and he hasn’t even been in town that long.  
  
“Sorry, Kato, didn’t mean to disturb, but you are reading a book…"  
  
“And listening to the news at the same time, I’m sodding gifted that way." He mumbled turning the page in his book.  
  
“Whatcha reading? Pretend I care."  
  
“War and Peace."  
  
“For fun?!"   
  
He laughed, looking up at me for a moment. Here’s one of the only good things about Spikey, his eyes sparkle when he laughs, which is rare, but it’s almost worth catching when it does happen.  
  
“No, you silly bint, for class. No one reads War and Peace for fun." He closed his book, setting it down on the end table, then looked at his watch, climbing to his feet.   
  
“Where are you going? Again, pretend I care."  
  
“I’ve got a PETA meeting, we’re going to stand outside of McDonalds and hand out pamphlets to the customers as they come out…"  
  
“Wow, sounds like big fun."   
  
“We’re trying to make a difference, a contribution to this community, of course, I bloody well wouldn’t expect you to understand that…"  
  
“Excuse me, but I have donated many expensive Italian outfits to the Salvation Army every other Christmas…."  
  
“Mmm-hmm."  
  
“And, I always break for animals. Plus, I’m devoting my time to helping my lonely literature teacher find romance."  
  
“Right." Spike nodded, grinning in that mocking way of his. “And I bet it serves you more than it does him."  
  
“That is so not…entirely true." I mumbled, my head hanging a bit.  
  
“I’d die of bloody shock if I ever saw you doing something that wasn’t ninety-seven percent selfish." He shook his head at me, in that disapproving fatherly kind of way. I hate it when he does that! Just because he’s mister college junior and I’m a lowly high school senior, doesn’t mean he’s better or smarter than me! And I am not selfish!  
  
“You promise!" I called after him as he walked out of the door. Childish yes, but sometimes it’s hard to think of a snappy comeback when you’re angry.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
  
 _" My soul’s long lacked food, my heavens bliss. Leaves, lines, and rhymes. Seek her to please alone, Whom if ye please, I care for other none."_  
  
"Spenser." Mr. Giles smiled as he continued over to Ms. Calendar, they both looked so nervous, it was adorable.  
  
"I know." Ms. Calendar said softly, folding the note.  
  
"It’s uh, a very beautiful sonnet."  
  
"Yes, it’s one of my favorites."  
  
One of her favorites?! I had no clue, how good am I?!  
  
"I was…  
  
-"Would you like…" They both said at the same time, breaking into that nervous laughter of theirs.  
  
"You first." He chuckled.  
  
"Would you maybe…like to grab dinner sometime?"  
  
"Yes, I would like that very much."  
  
I could hardly contain my squeal as Mr. Giles walked out of the computer lab. I quickly backed away from the door, the last thing I need is to get caught eavesdropping on two teachers conversation.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Giles." I gave him my best brown-noser voice, flashing him the pearly whites.  
  
"Oh, good morning, Buffy."  
  
Was that, dare I say, a smile? A smile from Mr. Giles without one ounce of sarcasm and disdain in his voice?!  
  
Oh yeah, I’m good.  
  
****************************************************  
  
My success with Mr. Giles, left me on cloud nine and with a brand new desire to offer my services to others (who says I’m selfish), and my next bit of charity came in the form of Willow Rosenberg.   
  
I was sitting in third period History, yawing widely, getting ready to sharpen my napping skills, when Principal Snyder interrupted Mrs. Johnson’s riveting lecture.  
  
"We have a new student, her name is Willow Rosenberg…"  
  
Stepping meekly into the classroom, was a small, bookish looking girl, with waist-length red hair. There was something instantly sweet about her, even though she seemed utterly terrified and out of place, and what was the deal with those clothes?  
  
"Willow, why don’t you find an empty desk and have a seat."  
  
I waved her over to the desk next to me. Riley Finn usually occupied it but since he had neglected to show up today, I figured his loss and Willow’s gain.  
  
She smiled at me as she sat down, looking completely relieved when I scooted my desk close to hers, sharing my book with her.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"No big. I’m Buffy, by the way."  
  
"Willow."  
  
********************************************************  
  
"…And this is the quad, everyone who’s anyone hangs here, so you’ll want to be seen in this spot at all of the appropriate times."  
  
Willow nodded fiercely, paying close attention. "What are the appropriate times again?"  
  
"Morning, lunch, and after school." I counted them off on my hand as I eased her over towards the group. "Guys, hey guys, this is Willow."  
  
Willow blushed, shyly waving. I had to admit, I already liked this girl a lot.  
  
"Willow this is, Cordelia, that’s her boyfriend, Xander, that’s Scott, Anya, Hallie, Dru, Parker, Graham, that’s Forrest, and the one that’s MIA today is Riley."  
  
I could tell Cordy was giving me that look, you know, that look that said I had gone completely insane. She flew up by my side like lightening, knocking poor Will to the side.  
  
"Hi, it’s nice to meet you…Buffy, can I speak with you in private please."   
  
"Sure, Willow, why don’t you have a seat, make yourself comfortable…ow!" Cordelia put the death grip on my arm, practically dragging me away.  
  
"Were you dropped on your head as a baby?!" She glared at me, finally releasing my arm.   
  
"What?"  
  
"Look at her, Buffy! Do you have any idea what damage you could do to our reputations by being seen with that girl…"  
  
"You know, you can be a snob and a half. Don’t you want to use your popularity for good?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Oh come on! She’s nice, sweet, and so adorably clueless…I’ve got this mother bird instinct to take her under my wing."  
  
****************************************************  
  
"Buffy, I don’t know about this…"  
  
"It’ll be fine, don’t you trust me?" I put my hand on Willow’s shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile in the mirror.  
  
"Well…I’ve only known you for a week."   
  
Cordy sighed heavily, playing with he scissors in her hand. "Are we doing this or not?"  
  
"We’re doing it. Now, Willow, just take a deep breath, close your eyes, and it’ll all be over in a second."   
  
Poor Will looked even more pale as she nodded her head, tightly shutting her eyes as Cordy gripped her ponytail, bringing the scissors closer to her hair. Willow reached out for my hand, holding onto it for dear life as the cutting started.  
  
"All done." Cordelia grinned, holding up the now detached ponytail.  
  
Six painstaking hours of hair, makeup, and wardrobe, Willow’s makeover was complete. You’d never guess the sultry thing staring back at us in the mirror was the same plain girl who waltzed into class five days earlier, looking like the Sears clearance bin had exploded on her.   
  
She was gorgeous, now the only problem was keeping her from covering herself up.  
  
"It’s the new you."  
  
"The new me." She laughed a little, trying hard to cover her bare midriff with her arms. "There’s a lotta new me."  
  
"You look great. I think she’s ready for the Bronze, Buffy what do you think?"  
  
"Definitely Bronze material."  
  
"What’s a Bronze?" Willow asked, tugging self consciously at her shirt.  
  
"It’s the only club in Sunnydale worth going to…"  
  
"That’s because it’s the _only_ club in Sunnydale." I said, rolling my eyes at Cordy. "Still, it’s not a bad place and pretty much everyone hangs out there."  
  
"Oh. Still guys, I don’t think I’m club material…"  
  
"Nonsense, you just need a male opinion. Spike!" I called, poking my head out of my bedroom door. "Get your bleached, bony-ass up here!"  
  
I could hear his out-of-style combat boots, bounding up the stairs, and before long Spikey was standing in my doorway, glaring at me.  
  
"You rang, mental giant." He said smugly, folding his arms in front of him. I made a face at him, sighing loudly. I hate calling on him for anything, but as the only one in this house with a Y chromosome, I needed his opinion.  
  
"Willow, this is the ex, Spike, Spike this is Willow."  
  
"Nice to meet you Willow." He flashed her his charming smile, then quickly turned his attention to me again, the smile completely disappearing. "Now, what the bloody hell do you want?"  
  
"Nice to meet you. Ex? Are you Buffy’s ex-boyfriend or something?"   
  
I burst into laughter, I couldn’t help it really, I mean, Spike, my ex boyfriend. Just saying that sentence in my mind makes me want to laugh harder. My sides are beginning to hurt, as my giggle fest finally dies down.  
  
"God no! He’s my ex-stepbrother."  
  
"I’ll repeat it for you, you annoying cow, what the bloody hell do you want?"  
  
I sighed, letting the few laughs I had left come out before answering. "We needed a man’s opinion, and you’re the next best thing so…"  
  
"So…what?" He glared, wow, he was really irritable today.  
  
"So, could you please tell Willow here, what a hottie she is and how she’ll be the best looking girl at the Bronze tonight."  
  
His features softened as he looked at Willow, letting a playful smile form on his lips.   
  
"You look very beautiful, bloke’s will be lined up half way around the block just to get a dance with you."  
  
Willow smiled and he smiled, and there was this whole really big smiling thing going on between them. I don’t get it! He never smiles at me like that, I mean, not that I want him to or anything, it would just be nice not to get smug asshole Spike all the time.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
"Cordy and I will be by to pick you up at around nine…"  
  
"Okay." Willow nodded as I walked her to the door.  
  
"Don’t worry." I smiled. "Tonight’s going to be great."  
  
After Willow left, I was in the midst of giving myself inner congratulations on a job well done, when I caught his look. That disapproving, fatherly look Spike does so well…  
  
"What?" I asked, heading towards the kitchen for a quick glass of water.  
  
"You amaze me."  
  
I flashed him a smile as I pulled my bottle of water out of the fridge. "Really? How?"  
  
"Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that you could find someone even more dense than yourself, to worship you like some high priestess."  
  
"I’m doing Willow a favor! Devoting my time and energy…"  
  
"To playing bloody dress up with her as if she were one of your sodding Barbie dolls!"  
  
"No, to rescuing her! She’s going to be beautiful, confident, and popular! She’s going to go through life feeling much better about herself because of me. It’s down right generous what I’m doing if you ask me."  
  
"Right." Spike said, giving me a smug grin, god I hate those. "You’re the ruddy Mother Theresa of Southern California."  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
  
The Bronze was the usual crowded hormone factory it always is, and Willow clung desperately to me as the three of us made it through the crowd.  
  
"Will, you’re going to leave claw marks in my arm if you don’t let it go." I smiled at her. Gee, we’re really going to have to work on this confidence thing.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
I could tell right away, that Willow’s physical makeover was having the desired affect. She was clearly getting the eye from some of the guys, and rightly so, Will’s a bombshell, and the second she realizes that, there’s no stopping her.  
  
The rest of the gang were waiting at our usual table (off in the corner, next to the dance floor), I wish I had a camera…their looks were priceless.  
  
"Cordy, Buff, who’s the friend?" Xander said, practically jumping to his feet. He motioned Willow towards his chair, leering at her the whole time with that goofy grin of his.  
  
"You remember Willow, don’t you Xand?"  
  
"Will-Willow?!"  
  
Xand looked totally shocked, of course that look was replaced with one of pain the moment Cordelia slapped him in the back of the head.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Eyes back in your head, Xander."  
  
****************************************************************  
  
"I’m gonna get another coke, you guy’s want anything?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"No, I’m good."  
  
I felt like squealing again as I watched Willow scamper off towards the bar, and I turned to Cordy, who was echoing my happiness.  
  
"Okay…" She began, rolling her eyes at me as she smiled. "She grows on you."  
  
"I knew you’d like her."  
  
"Oh yeah, as long as she keeps her newly manicured mitts off of Xander, we’ll be bestest friends." Cordelia said, turning to glare at her boyfriend, who was still ogling Will from a distance. "Harris, eyes on me or you’ll never use an urinal again."  
  
"Cordy…did, did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight, baby?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm…"  
  
"But then again, you always look beautiful…"  
  
"Shut up, Xander."  
  
I should have known when Cordy and Xander began yet another ‘lovers quarrel’, that, things were going to go downhill fast. A monkey wrench was thrown into all of my plans sending me scrambling to recover the reputation I was quickly building for Will.   
  
A monkey wrench with a bass guitar and Technicolor hair…  
  
"Guys!" Willow squealed happily, as she sat down. "You’ll never believe the cool guy I just met!"  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Finding Spike stretched out on our couch with the contents of the refrigerator all around him was quickly becoming an irritating norm in the Summers home.   
  
"How was the Bronze?" He mumbled, flipping the channel on the TV.  
  
"It was…Bronze like. You know, I thought the whole point of college was to get away from home."  
  
"Actually, the point of college is to learn…"  
  
"You know what I mean, smart ass."  
  
He chuckled, sitting up. "I’ll be outta your hair, princess, as soon as my things arrive from New York. I’m not living in a dorm you know, bloke’s gotta have bed."  
  
"Oh, I don’t know, you seem to have no problem bumming it on our couch." I smirked. "Scootch over.  
  
So, what do you think of Willow?"  
  
Okay, I know, stupid little girl question, but that whole smiling thing between them earlier left me a little more disturbed than I would have liked. I don’t want Spike pawing all over my friends…it’s creepy.  
  
"What do you mean, what do I think of her? I don’t know the girl."  
  
"Yeah, but you conducted yourself like human being around her."  
  
"I have my human moments."  
  
"How come I never get that side of you? A total stranger, you’re civil to, but me, who’s known you since before you started dying your hair…"  
  
"Being civil now, aren’t I?" He smirked, poking me in the side with his index finger, effectively making me jump. Back when our parents were married, Spike discovered the embarrassing secret that I’m extremely ticklish and he’s been relentless with it ever since.  
  
"Don’t…" I warned scooting away, but he was giving me that look, you know, the look that the lions on the Discovery Channel get right before it rips open the throat of a Zebra.  
  
"Don’t what?" He grinned, this time grabbing my side with his whole hand, digging his fingers deep tickling me harder.  
  
"Spike! Spike, stop!"  
  
"Stop what?" He laughed, the evil laugh, straddling my waist like a little boy, as he held me down, his fingers hitting all of my target spots; my stomach, my ribs, reaching around to grab my thigh. I hate it when he does this, I’m laughing so hard I can barely breathe and he’s too strong to push off…  
  
"Come on! Stop it…!"  
  
"Say it."  
  
"Spike…come on…!"  
  
"What’s the magic phrase, luv?"  
  
"Fuck you!"  
  
"Such language, Buffy. Come on, I’m not letting you up until you say it."  
  
God I hate him.  
  
"Fuzzy ducky, ducky fuzz…!" I shouted in between laughter. Crap, I can’t remember the rest…  
  
"That’s not the whole thing, pet."  
  
"I can’t remember! Come on, Spike, get off of me!"  
  
Finally, he stopped the assault, laughing like a mad man as he hovered over me. I took a moment from laughing so damn hard, and actually noticed his eyes (one of my rare moments), they were the deepest blue I had ever seen, it would have been almost nice if he wasn’t such a tool.  
  
"You bastard."   
  
"Conceited wench."   
  
You know insults don’t really carry as much weight when you say them with a snort and a giggle.  
  
That’s different, the look he’s giving me now is one I’ve never seen before. It almost equals the human smile he gave Willow earlier that evening, only…softer.   
  
"Plan on letting me up any time soon, big brother?"  
  
"Oh! Right, sorry." He mumbled, clumsily getting off me, allowing me to sit up. I frantically tugged at my dress, which was riding pretty high at this point. Suddenly, being around Spike wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world…  
  
***************************************************************  
  
"Buffy, my foot’s falling asleep, how much longer…"  
  
"I’m almost done Willow, jeez, do you think that Mona Lisa chick complained about her foot falling asleep while she was posing for DiCaprio?"  
  
"Da Vinci."  
  
"Whatever. Keep still."  
  
In my rush to find happiness for Mr. Giles and acceptance and popularity for Willow, I had completely forgotten about my art project for Mrs. Ross’ class. After digging through the prop room in the drama building, and getting Will to agree to be a last minute subject, we hauled ass to the art room where we’ve spent the better part of the early morning, toiling away.   
  
"I knew I’d find you here."   
  
"Oh, hey Riley." I said absently, putting the finishing touches on the painting. Riley Finn’s one of those jock types, our faithful, good-natured quarterback, but dumb as a post. He’s sorta good-looking I guess, but a little to grabby for my taste.  
  
"That’s really beautiful, Buffy." He smiled, inching closer to me as he watched me work. "You’re quite the artist."  
  
"Thanks. Having a good subject can bring the best out of you." I said, sending a quick look to Willow. "You remember Willow, don’t you?"  
  
"Yeah, hi, Willow."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Will, stop moving."  
  
As I was finishing up, it dawned on me. Riley was completely single now, and I needed someone, anyone to take Will’s mind off of that guy Oz she met at the Bronze (you know, one of those slacker types who rarely show up to class and who aren’t in the right social bracket…). Riley’s perfect for her! He may be a little boring, but he’s got social standing, Will’s stock at Sunnydale would skyrocket if she’s dating the fricken quarterback of the football team…  
  
"Isn’t she like one of those classic beauty’s?" I whispered to him.  
  
"If you say so."   
  
I could feel his hand snaking up my back, and I quickly shrugged him off, told you Riley was grabby.  
  
"Hey, do you think I could have this?"   
  
"You want the painting?"  
  
"Well, I’m never one to pass up great art."  
  
"Then…it’s your’s."   
  
Perfect.  
  
"Buffy, I’m getting those sleepy tingles…"  
  
"Keep still, Willow."  
  
  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
  
I stared at the flyer in my hand intensely, almost expecting it to catch on fire. For one, I really didn’t like the way Willow went all glowly and giggly when Oz ‘just happened’ to come up to us during the transition from first period to second.  
  
"Hey Buffy." He smiled. "What was the homework last night for Mr. Mullins?"  
  
"I’ve got Giles." I said, rolling my eyes. Could he be more obvious?  
  
"Oh, hey Willow."  
  
  
"Hey."  
  
The only thing I could do was shake my head and try and drag Will off into the other direction, but Oz was on our heels like one of those police dogs that smell the joint in your pocket.  
  
"My band’s playing at this party tonight, you should come." He smiled, shoving a flyer in her hand before finally leaving. Willow stared at that piece of paper as if it were the Holy Grail, making me most uncomfortable. How the hell am I supposed to make her sublimely happy if she keeps screwing it up?!  
  
"Ooh, a party! We should go, Buffy."  
  
"Look..." I began, taking the flyer out of her hand. "It’s in the bad part of town…"  
  
"There’s a bad part of town?"  
  
"And the cops break these things up before they even get off the ground, it would be a waste of a good outfit."  
  
"But, I really want to see Oz play." She beamed, it was enough to make me want to throw up the low-fat, sugar-free bagel I had for breakfast. "He’s an amazing bassist, and…"  
  
"Will, I thought we talked about this Oz thing."  
  
"We did…"  
  
"You know, you could have any guy in this school that you wanted. Even…Riley Finn." I grinned.  
  
"Riley?"  
  
"Yup. He’s been checking you out lately, and that painting of you I did for art class, he’s got it hanging above his bed."  
  
"Shut up!" Willow squealed, hitting me in the arm.  
  
"It’s true." I smiled. "And, he was very happy to learn that you’re completely single…"  
  
Okay, that was a complete lie, but sometimes you’ve gotta lie. Lies can be a necessary tool for the betterment of those around you, hey, that should be like a ‘Chicken Soup For the Soul’ quote or something.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
With the human trash compactor now in his new apartment, I felt it was safe to have Will come over for dinner, you know, this way she might actually get something to eat.  
  
"Thanks, Rosa, it looks great." I was practically starving, and the heaping plate of fettuccini alfreado, (low calorie cheese sauce of course) was calling to me.  
  
"Hey mom, you remember Willow, right?"  
  
"Of course, how are you Willow?"  
  
"I’m good Ms. Summers."  
  
Just as I was about to dig in, my cell went off, it’s probably Cordy, she always seems to call when I’m in the middle of dinner.  
  
"Buffy…"  
  
"I know, no phone calls during dinner, but it’s Cordy, it could be important. She could be having a ‘Seventeen’ like moment that requires the support of a best friend. What if she’s pregnant or someone’s offering her a joint or…"  
  
"Oh, just answer the phone!" She sighed, rolling her eyes. Hehe, that one works every time.  
  
"Hey Cordy."  
  
Apparently, the whole gang had decided to make a cameo at that party tonight. With Riley scheduled to make an appearance, and Oz due on stage for most of the night, I figured it was safe to bring Will. I could single handedly keep her as far away from Oz as possible and work on easing her towards Mr. Finn.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
"You should make sure Riley sees you, but don’t be obvious with it, look like you’re having fun, and talk to other guys and stuff, but make sure Riley’s in seeing distance…"  
  
Willow nodded fiercely, soaking up all of the guy knowledge Cordy and I were giving her as we made our way inside.  
  
"And when you do talk to Riley, laugh at all of his jokes, even though they’ll more than likely suck, guys like that."  
  
"Cordelia, you never laugh at my jokes."  
  
"Sure I do honey, just not with you." Cordy said, giving Xander a look. "Anyway, Willow, relax, you’re gonna do great."  
  
************************************************************  
  
Okay, I have to tell you, I hate house parties with a passion! It’s always so cramped, and there’s always an undisclosed amount of illegal substances floating around, not that I’m not one for the occasional drink, I just don’t like having to brush off those who are fried beyond belief.  
  
Willow and I were making the rounds while Cordy and Xander were off somewhere having another fight, this time about why she refuses to laugh at his jokes, when before I knew it, my brand new two-hundred dollar satin pumps were covered in Zima.  
  
"Sorry, I’m very sorry." Oz mumbled, shaking his head. "I thought you guys could use a drink and…"  
  
"Yeah, well my shoes weren’t very thirsty."  
  
"I’ll make it up to you."  
  
"Don’t bother." I muttered under my breath.  
  
"So, you guy’s having a good time?"  
  
"Oh yeah." Willow nodded. "I can’t wait until you guys play."  
  
"We’re in the middle of the long process of setting up, but I snuck away to grab you a drink…"  
  
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Riley who was staring rather intensely in our direction. I know that look, no boy can hide that look, and I quickly nudged Will with my elbow and whispered. "Riley’s staring at you, quick, pretend like Oz just said something funny."  
  
Willow begun to laugh almost uncontrollably, getting a dear in headlights look from Oz. God, I told her to laugh, not fake a seizure.   
  
"Are, are okay?" He asked, handing me the now half- full cup of alcohol.  
  
"I’m fine." Willow said meekly, hanging her head down in embarrassment. I gave her a sympathetic smile, suddenly feeling two arms wrap around my waist.   
  
"Oh, hey, Riley."  
  
"Hey, Oz. The guys are looking for ya."  
  
"Crap, I better get back, they get pissed when I shirk my responsibilities." He smiled at Will. "I see you later."  
  
"Uh, Riley, what’s with the sudden show of affection?" His big arms squeezing the life out of me, was making me most uncomfortable, especially in front of Willow.  
  
"I just wanted the beer." He smiled, easing the cup out of my hands, finally letting me go.  
  
"It’s Zima."  
  
"Whatever. How ‘bout a dance?"  
  
"Sorry, I’ve got a shoe emergency I’ve got to take care of, but I’m sure Willow would love to dance." I smiled, devilishly inching Will closer towards him.  
  
Riley shrugged, taking another sip before handing me back the cup, grabbing Willow’s hand.  
  
"You game?" He smiled as Will nodded in response, dragging her away.  
  
My heart was swelling with pride as I watched Riley and Will out on the dance floor, it’s so great to see love just blossom right before your eyes like that. Even though I’m alone, I was really happy for her. I think doing all of these good deeds is slowly making me a better person.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Will and I decided to leave the party kind of early, opting to get rides from other people, seeing as how Cordy and Xand were busy ‘making up’ in one of the upstairs bedrooms. As much as I tried, Will ended up riding home with Anya, Riley seemed to have every excuse in the book for why I should be the one to ride with him instead of Will. There’s only so much of that boy I could take and after much arguing, I finally said ‘Screw it’ and climbed into his car, besides, I can take this opportunity to talk his ear off about Willow.  
  
"Will’s pretty great, isn’t she?"   
  
"She’s okay I guess."  
  
That’s Riley Finn for you, man of a thousand words…  
  
"Didn’t she look cute tonight…"  
  
"Yeah, sure, listen Buffy, we’ve been friends for a long time, right?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"And as a friend, you saw how hard my breakup with Dana was…"  
  
"Sure, but Dana was so completely wrong for you."  
  
"I know." He smiled at me.  
  
"I want to see you happy, Riley. The perfect girl is right in front of you and the sooner you realize that, the sooner…"  
  
"I knew it." He grinned, shaking his head, suddenly pulling the car over on the side of the road. What the hell is he doing?  
  
"What are you do…" The words made it half way out of my mouth before brutally being cut off by Riley’s tongue. His disgusting hands were all over me, snaking up my thighs, heading under my dress. I was so caught off card that it took a while to make the appropriate reaction, finally I pushed him off of me, giving him a good punch in the nose.  
  
"You bitch!" He screamed, clutching his poor nose as blood began to pour out of it.  
  
"What the hell do you think you’re doing?!"  
  
"Come on, Buffy, isn’t it obvious! ‘The perfect girl, right in front of me’, you can’t be that stupid!"  
  
"I was talking about Willow!"  
  
"Willow?! Why would I want Willow?!  
  
Oh god, this is not happening. All of the sly groping, the looks…I was the one Riley had a thing for! Christ, how could I have been so stupid?!  
  
"Why wouldn’t you want Willow?! She’s smart, she’s beautiful…plus, you have that painting I did of her above your bed."  
  
"I have the painting you painted of her above my bed." He picked up a few stray napkins that were lying around, and begun to clean up the blood, lunging at me again once he finished.   
  
"Come on, Buffy…"  
  
"Stop it!" I screamed, throwing him off again. I quickly unbuckled my seat belt, wasting no time climbing out of the car. I can’t believe this is happening…  
  
"Buffy, Buffy what are you doing?!"  
  
"Go away!"  
  
"Look, stop acting like a kid, okay, and get back in the car and I’ll take you home."  
  
"I’d rather walk!"  
  
"Fine! Your loss, bitch!"   
  
The tires squealed loudly as he drove off, leaving a burning rubber smell behind. What was I thinking?! I should have just gotten back in the car and maced his ass if he tried anything else. Cordy’s cell was dead at the moment, and I didn’t know the number of the party so I couldn’t call. It was late, nearly two in the morning, and mom would fucking kill me if I called, seeing as how my curfew was twelve thirty. I dug my cell phone out reluctantly, along with the piece of paper I had scribbled his number down on. I really didn’t want to call him, but I had no other choice.  
  
"Hello." Spike answered, sounding frustrated, he must’ve known it was me.  
  
"Spike, buddy, how’s everything?"  
  
"What the bloody hell do you want…"  
  
"Listen, I was on my way home from this party, when I sexually harassed by my designated driver. I can’t call mom, and I don’t have any money for a cab…"  
  
He sighed loudly into the phone. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I’m fine, I just need a ride."  
  
"Bloody hell…" He mumbled, sighing again. "Alright, where are you?"  
  
********************************************************************  
  
Spike has the worst taste in women, take the boring little blonde thing sitting in the front seat, Darla. She’s the type of pseudo-intellectual college chick, who still wears Birkenstocks and mourns the loss of the Lilith Fair. I sighed loudly, slumping down in my seat. Their riveting conversation plus the alcohol in my system was quickly acting as a sleep-aid.  
  
"Spike, how could you say that?! Baily has a total misogynist point of few…"  
  
"I’m just saying, maybe you should hear him out before coming to that conclusion. I don’t think his lecture was meant to be misogynist…"  
  
"I know the man fancies himself some type of stoic hero, like Rand’s Peter Keating, but his points were un-researched and biased towards women, and this is the man who’s teaching us?"  
  
Finally, we pulled up in front of Darla’s apartment, thank God, if I had to listen to any more of this I’d slip into a coma.  
  
"I’m gonna walk Darla to her door."  
  
"Take your time." I smirked, rolling my eyes.   
  
The moment they were gone, I climbed up to the front, situating myself in the passenger seat. A very evil part of me was screaming to take the car and run, interrupting their make-out session, plus it would be kinda funny to watch Spike chase me down the street, but I quickly squashed that idea. I was way too tired, and like I said, their mini-make-out session in front of her door had left me with the overwhelming desire to shut my eyes and pray till it was over.  
  
"What could you possibly see in her?" I yawned loudly, as we drove away. Man, I was getting sleepy…  
  
"She’s nice, she’s beautiful, she’s smart…what, those qualities not to your liking?"  
  
"She’s not that smart." I huffed.   
  
"What makes you say that, luv?"   
  
"Well…" I yawned. "For starters, anyone with half a brain would know that the school- girl look, is so last year…"  
  
"Typical." Spike muttered, shaking his head.  
  
"Plus, Rand’s ‘stoic hero’ as she put it, was Roark, not Keating." Spike got that same deer in headlights look Oz did when Will started laughing like a mad woman, turning to me, a warm smile crept across his face.   
  
What? Is it so surprising I read something other than Cosmo every once in a while?  
  
************************************************************  
  
"Morning, luv."  
  
I sat up quickly, feeling a major cramp in the back of my neck. This morning already was not off to the greatest start. I sighed, running a hand through my bed hair, or couch hair as the case may be…why am I in Spike’s apartment…?  
  
"What am I…"  
  
"You passed out in the car, completely dead to the world. I didn’t want to wake up mum and get you in trouble…"  
  
"She’s not your ‘mum’."  
  
"So, I brought you here instead. Don’t worry, I called mum…"  
  
"She’s not your…"  
  
  
"And told her what happened."  
  
"The complete and total un-true version of what happened, right?"  
  
"Naturally." He grinned. He backed away from the couch, allowing me the room to swing my legs over to the side, slowly climbing to my feet. That’s funny, I don’t remember wearing a big Green Day T-shirt to the party…  
  
"Your clothes are in my room." Spike smiled at me knowingly. "Don’t worry, I didn’t peek."  
  
"Good." I smiled playfully, sucking on my bottom lip. "Probably the closest you’ve been to a woman in years."  
  
He laughed, giving me this look. You know, I think I should start documenting the different looks I’ve been getting from Spike since he moved back to Sunnydale. The only one I’m use to is the hate filled stare…  
  
I ran a hand through my hair again, smiling back, as I moved passed him, heading towards the kitchen.   
  
"If you touch my sodding Lucky Charms…"  
  
"You’ll what, Big Bad?" I said in my innocent, little girl tone, jutting out my bottom lip. Suddenly, the climate in the room had changed. It felt almost as if we were…flirting.  
  
 _Flirting?_ That’s it, I’m never drinking again.   
  
Chapter 6:  
  
  
  
  
After being attacked by Riley, I really wasn’t looking forward to telling Will his real intentions. Overnight, she had fallen for the asshole, and had rushed out buying momentous of their ‘night’ together, (a single of ‘Hot in Here’, and a bottle of his dated CK-One cologne…). Finally, after gym, Cordy helped me break the news gently:  
  
"It’s okay, Willow."  
  
"Yeah, he’s an asshole…"  
  
"You can do so much better…"  
  
"I think I saw Scott Hope checking you out…"  
  
"Oh you guys…" Will sniffed, whipping away some of the tears from her eyes. "What would I do without you?"  
  
I suggested that we skip fifth period and head on over to the Coffee Bean for some ice mochas (they can be a really great comfort-food substitute), but Will said no, she’s got this weird thing about actually wanting to attend class.   
  
******************************************************  
  
As Ms. McGuire was going over Proofs in Geometry, I found it hard to pay attention, not that I pay attention anyway, but today all I could focus on was Willow. Riley was such a bad choice for a guy, they had zero in common, plus Will has too much personality, something Mr. Finn is sorely lacking.   
  
There’s other guys out there, and while the gene pool might be a little shallow at Sunnydale, I’m sure there’s someone out there who would be right up Will’s alley…  
  
Suddenly, my Willow-train of thought was derailed, as quite possibly the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen appeared in the doorway.   
  
"You must be Owen." Ms. McGuire smiled. "Have a seat, there’s an empty desk, third row."  
  
Owen? This is Owen Thurman?! He wore all black, like one of those beat-nick poetry types, who took LSD and never shaved back in the 60’s. He was tall, bulky, not bulky fat, but bulky muscular, with short, sandy-blonde hair, piercing green eyes, a tortured, wounded puppy-dog look…  
  
"Excuse me?" He smiled at me, tapping my shoulder.   
  
"Huh?" Great, that’s all I can say…well, at least I’m not drooling…  
  
"You dropped this." He handed me the pencil that had dropped out of my hand, I wasn’t even aware it had dropped it, but eternally grateful for my clumsiness.  
  
"Thanks." I smiled, my seductive pouty smile (more emphasis on the lips…).   
  
"Buffy, can you tell me the answer to question fifteen?" Ms. McGuire asked suddenly, totally breaking Owen and I out of the moment we were in.  
  
"Um…New Jersey?"  
  
Alright, so I forgot this was Geometry…  
  
************************************************************  
  
Over the next few days, I did what I always do when I like a guy, draw attention to myself in any way possible. Doing the giggly-girly thing when Owen just happened to be around, flirting with other guys in his eye-line, just so he could see how desired I am and be major jealous, and finally, buying a bag of Blow Pops, just for the purpose of eating them during fifth period. Drawing attention to your mouth when trying to get a guy to notice you is one of the cardinal rules.  
  
"Hey, Buffy." He whispered, smiling at me, during one of McGuire’s long lectures. "You busy this weekend?"  
  
"I’d have to check my schedule…"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But, I think I can move a few things around, why?"  
  
"I was hoping, you and me could get together…maybe a little dancing or something. I don’t really know all the hotspots around here."  
  
"There’s always the Bronze…"  
  
"Cool, only if you can make it, it’s cool…"  
  
"Does eight o’clock sound good to you?" I said, quickly cutting him off. Mentally kicking myself for letting my eagerness show.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
I was in the middle of finding the perfect shoes to match the black leather mini I chose to wear, one has to show off the legs on a first date, when the doorbell rang. God, what is it with guys getting to your house so damn early?!  
  
I rushed out to the top of the stairs, trying to strap on my black pumps at the same time, screaming.  
  
"Mom, can you get the door please, I’m not ready yet!"  
  
"Buffy, I’m busy, come down and get it yourself!"  
  
"Mom! I can’t let him see me yet…come on…!" I whined, you’d think mom of all people would understand the need to make a guy wait a while before making your entrance.  
  
"No!"  
  
Spike happened to be lounging around our house that night, it was his bi-weekly laundry/free meal day, and he was my last hope, as the doorbell rang a couple more times…  
  
"Spike! Please…Spike!"  
  
"Bloody hell…" I heard him sigh, as he walked over to the door, a bowel of Captain Crunch in his hand.   
  
Finally, the shoes were on, and after giving myself a quick once…er twice over in the mirror, I headed downstairs, to make my entrance.   
  
Owen was standing at the foot of the stairs, looking incredibly yummy, along with Spike, who was grilling him, no doubt. Spike always had a tendency to do that with my dates…  
  
Their eyes fell on me, as I made my way down. My outfit having the desired effect on Owen as his eyes glazed over a bit, but I found myself strangely focusing on the look Spike was giving me. Just another one for my record, only this…his eyes twinkled brightly and his mouth hung open slightly. The second I opened my mouth to ask Spike what his deal was, the bowl of cereal he held, slipped out of his hand, shattering into pieces on the floor.  
  
"Shit!" He cried out, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"You look great." Owen smiled, taking my hand.  
  
"You don’t look so bad yourself." I smiled, seductively biting on my lower lip.  
  
"Uh…do you need help with that, man?"   
  
Spike glared at Owen, smiling sardonically. "No, thank you, I’ve got it under control."   
  
"I’ll be back late mom!"  
  
"12:30, Buffy! No later!"   
  
I rolled my eyes as we headed towards the door, god, mom can be so uncompromising sometimes.   
  
"See ya later, butterfingers." I grinned at Spike, that evil grin quickly turning into a scowl, once he grabbed my arm pulling me back in the house.  
  
"The lady will be with you in a second." He said to Owen, shutting the door.  
  
"What the hell is your deal, cave man?!"  
  
"You’re not going out like that."  
  
"Going out like what?!"  
  
"Like that!" He said, making frenzied gestures towards my outfit. "You look like a bloody hooker!"  
  
"Oh…" I smiled, nodding. "I get it."  
  
"Get what?"  
  
"No wonder you got all deer-in-headlights when you saw me coming down the stairs." I snickered, wrenching my arm out of his grasp. "I look like a hooker, so therefore…you must have been having flashbacks to your first time." I rolled my eyes, walking out the door, slamming it loudly behind me. I look like a hooker?!   
  
The nerve of that bastard….  
  
  
  
Chapter 7:  
  
  
My date with Owen went reasonably well, we danced, we talked, we laughed, danced some more, and at the end I got a couple of smooches. I was my usual charming self, and he promised he’d give me a call in a couple of days.  
  
Wouldn’t you know it, Spike ended up making an appearance at the Bronze, pulling that residual over-protective big brother crap. He only showed up to spy on me, but did a very sweet thing by dancing with Willow who was kind of left out tonight.   
  
After saying goodbye to Owen, you know, with the smooches, I piled in Spike’s tin machine, slamming the door. I had to make sure he knew I was still pissed at him, and kicking his balls in would be too obvious.  
  
"I’m sorry." He mumbled, keeping his eyes on the road.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Don’t do that, Buffy."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"I’m trying to apologize, you stupid git."   
  
I turned, giving my eyes a break from the window, and glared at him. "When I look that word up, you are so dead."   
  
He smiled, laughing a bit. "Look, luv, if I insulted you tonight, I’m sorry."  
  
"No, telling someone they look like a hooker is the utmost of compliments." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Look, I didn’t like the way that blighter was looking at you. You could do much better than that poncey little drool monkey…" He grumbled. I had to smile, he was beyond adorable, one of Spike’s peeves is to apologize for anything which means he always looks like a sullen little kid when he does, his bottom lip jutting out…  
  
"Apology accepted." I sighed, rolling my eyes, laughing when he turned and grinned at me.  
  
"That was really sweet of you to dance with Will tonight."   
  
He shrugged. "No big. No sense in a pretty girl like that not having every bloke fighting to dance with her."  
  
"This is that rare human side of you isn’t it?"  
  
"Yeah." He laughed.   
  
"I like it, you should show it more often."   
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Owen called me up a few days later suggesting that we ‘hang out’, maybe watch a couple of movies. Of course I told him ‘Yeah, sure, whatever…" but on the inside, I was screaming. A girl shouldn’t show her enthusiasm outright like that, one has to be coy…  
  
I got unbelievably lucky, mom was working late at the gallery setting up for a huge show on phallic art, and Spike decided to actually live at his apartment for once and was nowhere around. After giving Rosa the night off, I dashed around the house getting everything ready for Owen.   
  
I picked out the videos; three Julia Roberts’ two John Cusack’s, and one with the combination of the two.   
  
Cleaned up the mess from dinner, and popped two bowls of popcorn, one with milkduds dumped in, and one without. Rushed, everything upstairs, checked my hair, the makeup, the hair again, and the outfit, and made it halfway downstairs when the doorbell rang, just in time.  
  
Owen smiled brightly, looking like the huge chunk of salty goodness that he was, giving me a kiss before walking in.   
  
"You look amazing."   
  
"Thanks." I smiled, the pouty smile, kissing him again, taking his hand and leading him upstairs.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
"I’m beginning to think this is a conspiracy…" He smiled, inching closer to me on the bed as he looked through my video selections.  
  
"What?" I shrugged innocently, grinning.  
  
"I think you’re trying to set me up, Ms. Summers. All of these romantic movies, it’s as if you’re expecting them to have some sort affect on me, some kind of chick flick mind control…"  
  
I giggled, waving my fingertips in front of his eyes. "You’re getting very sleepy." Owen laughed, grabbing my hands, and pulled me in for a kiss. It was soft and teasing, and making me tingle in all the right places. Things got heated considerably fast, and as his tongue slipped past my lips, I felt my back being gently laid down on the bed.   
  
Now, I may know a lot about guys, but when it comes to sex…I’m about as clueless as a blind man behind the wheel of a car is.   
  
I’ve only been in the position (no pun intended) to have sex once in my entire life. Back in my freshman year, I dated this guy Liam Killian, but everyone called him ‘Angel’. He was a gorgeous senior who wanted to date little ol’ me, and we were happy for about eight months, but after eight months of not giving up the goods, he was starting to get restless. Started pressuring me more and more, and I almost gave in, but quickly came to my senses at the last minute, giving him a clean shot to the balls when he wouldn’t get off of me.   
  
I always wanted my first time to be this mutual feeling of mad, passionate love. Owen and I have only known each other for two weeks…  
  
Before I could break the kiss, he did, staring down at me with the strangest expression on his face. I gave him a weak smile, placing a hand on his cheek.  
  
"I, I can’t do this." Owen sighed, rolling off of the bed. Wait a minute?! I’m the one who’s supposed to say that, what the hell does he mean he can’t do this?!  
  
"What’s wrong?’   
  
He paced back and forth, rubbing his hands together. "I’m sorry, Buffy. I’m really sorry!"  
  
"What is it?! Do, do I have bad breath or something?!"  
  
"No! No, you’re great, amazing in fact. You’re beautiful and funny…I just…" He began, finally stopping his pacing. "Back in Philly, I had this girlfriend, Janie…and I love her so much, and she said since I was leaving maybe we should try seeing other people. I just…I can’t lead you on like that." He offered me a smile, hanging his head down.  
  
So, he’s got a girlfriend, well at least he didn’t realize he was gay, that would have really been a blow to my self-esteem.   
  
"It’s okay, Owen." I smiled. "I understand."  
  
"You do?! That’s so great, cause I really like you and I really want us to be friends."  
  
"Then friends it is!" The smile on my face was so wide and painful, I thought for sure my lips would crack and bleed at any second.  
  
If only I had known what was to come after my disaster with Owen, I would have never left my house again.  
  
  
  
Chapter 8:  
  
  
I actually managed to parlay my disaster with Owen into a really great friendship. Since jumping his bones was completely out of the question, I took the time to get to know him better: Loves Emily Dickinson, can brood for forty minutes straight, and he and his girlfriend Janie decided seeing other people was a dumb waste of time, and are now practically engaged.   
  
Owen’s also the rare type of guy who can stand being in mall with two females while they shop and talk about nothing. I hope Janie knows she’s got a great guy, I took Angel shopping with me only once, and his head practically spun around and exploded.   
  
"What do you think of this one?"  
  
"It’s great, Buffy…what corner are you working on?"  
  
I scoffed loudly, rolling my eyes as I tucked the dress back on the rack. "I resent that remark…"  
  
"Sorry." Owen shrugged, giving me a grin. "You know I’m protective of you, disgusting guys would be following you around like cats in heat if you wore that thing. I should know, I’m one of them."   
  
"Nah, you’re the faithful type."   
  
"That could change if you wore that dress." He smiled.   
  
We headed out of the store, with my new dress in tow (hey, I’ll take guys following me around like cats in heat any day), and were off to find Will. She met these random guys at Old Navy, and had agreed to go out to the patio with them while they had a smoke. Normally I wouldn’t have dared let her go by herself, but that dress in the window of Maurice’s was calling to me…  
  
I quickly regretted my need to ogle clothing once I heard the blood-curdling scream that came from the patio.   
  
Owen, not wasting another second, shoved the heavy door all the way open, dashing out there like some kind of noble knight, with me right on his heels. There was Will, pinned up against the wall with some drooling Mongoloid flesh against her, his hand her thigh.  
  
"I said get off me!"  
  
Owen grabbed him from behind, giving him a good punch in the face, as I put my arms around Will, dragging her away.   
  
"What the hell is your problem, man!"  
  
"I believe the lady said ‘no’! Why don’t you try being a real, fucking man!" Owen spit, giving that asshole a shove in the other direction.  
  
"Are you okay, Willow?"  
  
"We, we were just talking and then all of a sudden…" She said, her voice shaky. I tightened my grip on her, pulling her closer. I could kill that dick for even thinking about messing with Willow…  
  
"Come on, let’s go home."  
  
********************************************************  
  
Word travels fast at Sunnydale, soon everyone was talking about Will’s ‘brush with death’, as it was now called, and how brave Will was for fighting off that guy.  
  
"Hey Buffy, is it true someone tried to shoot Will at the mall?"  
  
"No." I sighed loudly, rolling my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, what happened to Will was deadly serious, and I’m glad that she’s okay, but this whole ‘damsel in distress’ thing was getting to me.   
  
I fought threw the crowd in the middle of the quad, so that I could take my usual seat and force myself to at least eat a few bites of the sandwich I brought…  
  
Willow, of course, was already there relaying her story for what was probably the thousandth time to her adoring crowd. I noticed, it always seemed to change from day to day, sometimes it was three guys instead of the one, sometimes he had a gun, sometimes he was a gang member and it was supposed to be apart of his initiation. …  
  
"Even though I was scared to death, I still tried to keep my mind clear…"  
  
"To anticipate his next move, right?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Hey, Willow." I interrupted. "I was thinking about going to the antique bookstore downtown, to get something for Owen. Like a ‘thank-you’ gift or something, wanna come?"  
  
"Oh, I love too! He saved my life after all." The smile on her face suddenly disappeared. "Wait, I can’t. I’m going shopping with Harmony today after school."  
  
Harmony?! Since when does she hang with my evil clone Harmony?!  
  
"That’s okay." I said, giving her a thin smile. "We can go tomorrow."  
  
"Actually…I’ve got plans tomorrow, too, but when I get a free day, I’ll give you a call, okay Buff."  
  
Buff?! Since when…okay, what bazaar-o world have I fallen into? Willow the most popular girl in school, hanging out with skanky imitators like Harmony, completely blowing off Oz…and me for that matter…  
  
What the hell have I done?!  
  
****************************************************  
  
On top of everything that happened at school, once I got home mom practically tore me a new one because Rosa ‘magically’ found the five unpaid parking tickets I had hidden under my bed.  
  
"I didn’t even know you could get parking tickets without a license!"   
  
"Mom, I meant to tell you…"  
  
"You’ll be lucky if you make it to your tenth high school reunion."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because that’s exactly how long you’ll be grounded."  
  
As if I weren’t feeling icky enough, Spike also hopped on the Buffy bashing bandwagon, only because I told Darla she had the wrong number when she called. Hey, I thought I was doing him a favor, the girl’s completely wrong for him…and is it really my fault she knew what the word ‘punta’ meant…  
  
"You can be such a bloody brat, Buffy!" He screamed, stalking off towards the phone in a huff.   
  
That did it. It was like, Spike being angry with me hurt more than everything else, and I made my way upstairs, flopping down on my bed, pulling Mr. Gordo, close. I don’t like to cry, especially when I’m not wearing my good mascara, but this time I couldn’t help it.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
"Oh hey, you’re up!" Willow beamed at me, as I made my way downstairs. There she was with Spike, the two of them laughing over some book…I guess geekiness never dies no matter how you dress it up…  
  
"Hey." I yawned. "What’s so funny?"  
  
"It’s nothing." Spike smiled, shutting the book back. "Some boring stuff on Freud, you wouldn’t be interested."  
  
What makes him think I wouldn’t be interested?  
  
Willow got up, making her way over to me, grabbing my arm. "Come here, I’ve been waiting all morning to talk to you." She smiled, dragging me into the kitchen.   
  
She shoved a shoebox full of stuff towards me, taking a seat at the bar.  
  
"What’s this?"  
  
"A bunch of stuff that reminded me of Riley. I was hoping we could burn it or something, I’m so completely over him."  
  
"Sure." I grinned. "We’ll build a big bonfire in the back just to toast it all, and maybe a few marshmallows."  
  
She laughed. "That sounds great." Willow paused, looking around for a second. "Hey, Buffy, what do you think of Spike?"  
  
"What do you mean, what do I think of Spike?"  
  
"I dunno." She shrugged. "He’s cute, right?"  
  
"In a mutant sort of way, I guess." Suddenly, I was feeling very sick, I really didn’t like the way this line of questioning was going.   
  
"Do you think you could help me get him?" She asked, looking over her shoulder as if Spike had stepped into the room.  
  
"Get him?"  
  
"You know…" She sighed. "I’m so bad at this. I really like him, and being his sister…"  
  
"Ex-stepsister." I quickly corrected.  
  
"I thought maybe you could put in a good word for me. I mean, I think he likes me, I just need someone to give him that extra push."  
  
"I don’t know, Will…" I began, this was bothering me way more than I thought it would… "Spike’s really into the stuffy college chicks…"  
  
"So, what? You’re saying I don’t have a chance?"  
  
"No! No, Will, I’m not saying that at all…" Then what the hell am I saying?! "It’s just…I don’t think you and Spike would fit well…"  
  
"We wouldn’t fit?!" Willow sneered at me, climbing to her feet. I didn’t even know Willow could sneer. "Why am I listening to you anyway, when’s the last time you had a date let alone a boyfriend."  
  
Wow, that hurt. I didn’t know Willow could have it in her to say something so mean. I was starting to get that lump in my throat, and I fought hard to keep from crying, again.   
  
"I’m sorry, Buffy." She sighed. "I didn’t mean…"  
  
"I know."  
  
"Look, why don’t I just go. I’ll call you later or something."  
  
It felt like the whole room was spinning, and any minute, I was going to puke. Willow and Spike?! I know I should be happy for them, Willow is a friend after all, but the very thought of them together stressed me out to no end…  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 9:  
  
  
  
I felt horrid.   
  
There’s no other word for it. Everything I had touched with the greatest of intentions had blown up in my face, first there was Riley who tried to take the ‘Mike Tyson’ approach to dating, and then there was Owen, sweet hopelessly in love with a girl who isn’t me Owen. And of course, most importantly, there’s Willow. Sweet, shy Willow who, thanks to me, is now a grade A first class witch (i.e. the most popular girl in school), and on top of all that, Spike was angry with me.   
  
Now, I usually revel in the glee when Spike gets mad at me, but this time…it only seemed to make things worse, and now he wanted Willow?! What the hell was that all about?! The two of them had absolutely nothing in common, well, okay they both really like to read books by pompous dead guys for some reason, but that fact doesn’t scream ‘true love’ to me. Spike would drive her insane, I mean how many conversations can you have with someone about Tolstoy before you want to poke your eyes out with a rusty stake knife (hello to the imagery, huh?)?   
  
And then there’s Willow, now don’t get me wrong, before I turned her into the Fashion Hitler, she was the nicest girl you could ever want to meet, but for Spike that’s not enough. He needs someone to challenge him, someone that won’t let him get away with all of the intellectual crap he tends to spew, someone to laugh at his painfully unfunny jokes…  
  
I sighed, rolling over on my stomach, grabbing for my diary. ‘This is truly the winter of my discontent’…  
  
Who says I’m not good with the deep poetry stuff…  
  
As I was writing, it dawned on me, I Buffy Summers, needed a makeover, but this time, I’d make over my soul.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Usually, I tend to stay as far away from the alley behind the Bronze as humanly possible, but tonight, I was drawn to it. Of course it leads to the bad side of town, but at the moment, I didn’t care. I had twenty bucks in my pocket, and I was determined to do something good for mankind with it.  
  
I never understood why anyone would want to become a hooker, even though I’ve been called one more often lately than I would like. Sex with strange men night after night, standing on some lonely street corner, no medical or dental…  
  
"I don’t do girls, sweetheart." She smirked at me, putting out her cigarette. "And even if I considered making an exception, it would take a hell of a lot more than twenty bucks to change my mind."  
  
"What? Oh, no…I don’t want…" I stammered, quickly shaking my head. Great, not even five minutes into this goodwill stuff, and I’m already fucking it up. She just smiled at me, lighting another cigarette. God, she looked as if she were my age, raven hair, ruby lips, she had this spark in her eyes, like she was dangerous…but a good kind of dangerous, great, if I keep up this line of thinking, I’m going to start to wonder about myself….  
  
"What do you want? I do have a business to run here…"  
  
"I…I…" I know I can speak like normal humans, but it wasn’t coming out like it should. Stupid…stupid…stupid…  
  
"What are you retarded, Goldilocks?" She laughed.  
  
"Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"  
  
She looked at me as if I had grown another head and it was yelling at her in Chinese, then she laughed louder than I’ve ever heard anyone laugh.  
  
"You wanna buy me a cup of coffee?!"  
  
I nodded. Stupid…stupid…  
  
"What are you, Goodwill for whores?"   
  
"No." I shook my head. "Look, if you don’t want coffee, that’s fine…" I said, turning to walk away. God, this was such a bad idea, maybe I should have went to one of Spike’s PETA meetings instead…  
  
"Wait, Goldilocks!" She called, smiling at me. She paused for a second, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Make it a sandwich and you got yourself a deal."  
  
She walked up beside me, giving me another grin as she tossed another cigarette butt to the ground. "I’m Faith, by the way."  
  
"Buffy." I smiled.  
  
"Buffy…" She said my name as if she were mulling it over, studying it. "Nice name, B. Very So-Cal."  
  
************************************************  
  
"Naked alligator wrestling…" I grinned. "You’re shitting me, right?"  
  
"Nope." Faith laughed, taking a big bite of the club sandwich, seemingly not caring that most of it fell out the back of the bread. "I’ve only known you for what? Thirty minutes? Why would I lie to you, B?"   
  
I nodded my head. In a weird way, I believed the alligator story, along with all of the other tales of travel Faith told me. She just seems like that type of person.  
  
"So, what’s your story, B?"  
  
"I don’t really have one…"  
  
"Oh, sure you do." She smiled. "I mean, it’s not ‘take a whore to dinner’ week or anything, so there’s definitely something going on with you."   
  
"I needed the company."  
  
"Right." Faith mumbled, taking a sip of her coke. "What’s his name?"  
  
"His name? Him who?"  
  
"The guy that’s got you so wound tight." She smiled. "You really got it bad, huh?"  
  
"I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no guy…"  
  
"Mmm-hmm…"  
  
"I mean, there was a guy, an Owen guy, but it didn’t really work out…"  
  
"And no one else besides this Owen guy?"   
  
Of course there’s no one besides Owen, I mean, the only other guy in my life full time is Spike and it would be a cold day in hell…  
  
"I haven’t lied to you, B." Faith smiled earnestly, putting her feet up on the seat next to me.  
  
"Okay, there’s one other guy, but it’s just Spike."  
  
"Spike? Sounds like a drummer I knew in Boston, what a wicked bastard he was."  
  
"Oh, Spike’s a wicked bastard, but I don’t think he ever infected Boston. Or plays the drums."  
  
Faith laughed. "Then who is this Spike guy?"  
  
"Annoying ex-stepbrother who doesn’t understand that divorce means we’re not obligated to be around each other anymore."  
  
"Right…"  
  
"He transferred all the way from NYU, just to go to UC Sunnydale, and raid our refrigerator. Ever since he’s been back, he’s been making my life a living hell. First he says I’m too selfish, then when I try to be helpful, he still says I’m the only one getting anything out of it…"  
  
"I don’t know." She shrugged. "I did get a sandwich…"  
  
"I know! Then, on my first date with Owen, he embarrasses the hell out of me, and tells me that I look like a hooker…no offense…"  
  
"None taken."  
  
"And now, he’s busy macking on my friend Willow! Well, she was my friend, I’m not exactly sure now…she’s some kind of Evil Willow hybrid thingy…"  
  
"And the Willow/Spike thing bothers you?" Faith laughed, shoving an onion in her mouth.  
  
"Yeah, only because I know what an asshole he is!"  
  
Faith was laughing hard at this point, with snorts and everything. What the hell was so funny?!  
  
"What the hell is so funny?!"  
  
"You are, B." She said, wiping at her eyes. "Yeah, there’s no guy you’re crunching over…sure…"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I’m not gonna tell you." She grinned. "Figure it out on your own."  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"And where have you been all bloody night?"  
  
Great, Spike was still making himself useless around the house. I rolled my eyes at him, flopping down on the couch. "Out."  
  
He snorted, shaking his head. "I know that, ‘where’ would be the operative word."  
  
"What, you keeping tabs on me now?" I glared.  
  
"No, genius, but when one goes up to your room only to find you gone without a trace, one does get worried."  
  
Worried? Spike was worried about me?  
  
"I was at the Bronze." I mumbled. "Hung out with a friend for a while."  
  
"Should have known…" He sighed. I just couldn’t hold it in anymore, and grinned like an idiot. He was worried about me?!  
  
"What, what’s with the Chesire Cat grin?"  
  
"You were worried about me?!" I teased in a singsong voice, laughing a bit. Hey, I couldn’t help it. Spike sighed again, shaking his head and poked me in the side with his index finger, making me jump…bastard. I am not about to start another tickle world war on this couch…  
  
"Of course I was worried, Buffy." He smiled, poking me again…  
  
That’s when it hit me, the devilish grin on his face, the twinkle in his eyes, the fluttery butterfly feelings I got when ever he poked me…  
  
Oh god…  
  
I’m in love with Spike?!  
  
One hundred percent, head over heels, stupid teenage clichéd in love with Spike!  
  
I think there’s something seriously wrong with this world…  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 10:  
  
  
  
When it comes to guys, I’m usually pretty cool, always confidence girl, but with Spike, my usual games (strappy tops, blow pops to bring attention to the mouth…), weren’t gonna work. I’ve known him since I was fourteen, and quickly realized that I cared too much about him to waste his time with my games.   
  
Without my usual tricks, I was left feeling strangely self-conscious, and I didn’t know how to act around him any more.  
  
"Oi! Buffy, what’s your problem?"  
  
"What do you mean ‘what’s my problem’? I don’t have a problem, why would I have a problem, and do you have to push like that?!"   
  
"Did someone spike your Diet Coke?" He grinned. "I only meant, we’ve been sitting here for nearly a bloody hour, and you haven’t tried to make me watch Spongebob Squarepants."  
  
Spongebob’s on?! God, I completely forgot… "Hey, I watch the news…"  
  
He snorted, giving me a look.  
  
"Sometimes." I mumbled. "I wanted to be informed."  
  
"Your head looks like it’s about to explode…"  
  
"I’m just trying hard to pay attention."  
  
I decided the best thing to do is get over him. It’s clear Spike only sees me as an annoying little sister type, especially since I overheard him on the phone making plans to go Bronzing with Willow Friday night. After two pints of cookie-dough ice cream and five Johnny Depp movies back to back, I felt a lot better about my situation. All I needed was something to take my mind off of Spike, something to make myself feel good.  
  
Spending time with Faith was great, and it felt good to listen to someone else for a while. That’s when I decided, I would do more to help people, I mean really help them.   
  
I registered to volunteer at a Day Care center, and even got Cordy to come with…  
  
"Buffy! This little thing just blew chunks all over my two-hundred dollar Gucci shoes!"  
  
Though it took much groveling to get her to come back a second time.  
  
Also, I made a habit of taking Faith out for a bite every Tuesday night.  
  
"So B, have you done it?"  
  
"Done what?" I asked, taking a sip of my coke (diet of course).  
  
Faith rolled her eyes at me, sighing. "Done what?" She mimicked. "You know, B, I’m starting to think you’re a natural blonde…"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Have you talked to that Spike guy you’re all hot for?" She grinned.  
  
"No and no." I sighed. "He’s been out with Willow every night this week. It’s just a stupid crush…" I mumbled. "I’ll get over it."  
  
Faith gave me a sympathetic smile, reaching across the table, putting her hand on mine. "I know some people who could take care of this Willow chick for you."  
  
"While that’s a very caring, yet frightening gesture, I don’t think so." I chuckled. "If Spike wants to be with Willow, that’s fine." I sighed. "I’m happy for him."  
  
Faith shrugged, giving me another smile. "You sure? Cause I could have someone break her legs, like that." She snapped her fingers, shoving the rest of the sub in her mouth.  
  
Okay, I have to admit at this point the offer to have Willow’s legs broken…kinda appealing, but of course I told Faith no. I would never do that…really!  
  
***************************************************  
  
I was getting pretty good at keeping my mind off the whole Spike and Willow thing, well, being the organizer of the Spring Carnival at the day care really helped…also the not talking to either Spike or Will for nearly two weeks did the trick.  
  
"Hey Buffy." Oz smiled, taking a seat next to me in the quad. Oz at school? Oz talking to me? Wait, Oz actually came to school?!  
  
"Hey Oz…"  
  
"Here." He said, shoving a wad of money in my hand.  
  
"What’s this for? I mean, not that I don’t like it when people shove big wads of money in my hand…"  
  
"Your shoes."  
  
"Shoes…"  
  
"The red ones I kind of coated with Zima." He chuckled. "I’m really sorry about that."  
  
"Oz, no, it’s okay. I can’t take your money."   
  
He shoved the money back it me, smiling. "No, I want you to have that. I owe you."  
  
What the hell is wrong with me?! How could I have ever thought someone as sweet and nice as Oz wasn’t good enough for Willow?!   
  
"Well…" I began, grinning. "If you feel like you owe me, then I think there’s something better you can do to make up for the shoes."  
  
"What is it?"   
  
"We’re having this spring carnival at the day care I volunteer for, would Dingoes mind supplying the music?"  
  
"We’d be happy to. Really, you haven’t heard ‘Mary had a little lamb’, until you’ve heard us play it."   
  
*************************************************  
  
Argh, you know there’s absolutely no point to homework. It’s like the teachers get to torture us for six hours a day, five days a week, do they really have to extend the punishment into our home lives?!  
  
I growled in frustration, marking another paragraph in my book with my trusty highlighter. Even though Mr. Giles had changed his very anal tune since getting together with Ms. Calendar (the two are currently happily engaged, by the way), he still gave killer chapter tests that made most teachers mid-terms look like kindergarten worksheets.  
  
"Whatcha doing?" Spike purred in my ear, making me jump nearly ten feet. Not so much from the shock of him being here (I heard the front door slam, it could only be him), but from the sound of his voice, dipped in a rich baritone and that sexy accent, and the idea that those lips were close to my ear…   
  
Dammit, I’m getting over him…I’m over him…  
  
"Playing soccer." I snickered, marking another paragraph. He pulled up the seat next to me, staring at me while I tried to read. Do you have any idea how hard it is to concentrate on Voltaire with Spike staring at you?!  
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing." He shrugged.  
  
"So, what you’re just gonna sit there staring at me like some kind of idiot for the rest of the night?" I snapped. Having him sitting so close was killing me, and I really needed to finish up this work.  
  
"That was plan." He grinned. "At least until Dawson’s Creek comes on."   
  
"Dawson’s Creek." I snorted. "What no date with Willow?"  
  
"No…" He laughed.   
  
"What’s so funny?"   
  
"Does my seeing Willow bother you, Buffy?"  
  
Yes, god yes, and I would like it to stop now. "Nope, couldn’t care less."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Why are we having this conversation?! I told you it doesn’t bother me." I sighed loudly, turning the page in my book. "If you want to laugh about Freud with Will, then by all means…"  
  
"If it bothers you pet, I won’t…"  
  
"Look, I’ve got a ton of work to do here, so if you wouldn’t mind could we stop talking?"   
  
Spike nodded solemnly, getting up and walking away. I didn’t mean to be such a bitch, and I know I started the whole thing on Willow…  
  
"Argh!" I grumbled, beating my head against the table. Just when it seems I’m doing fine with this whole thing, my jealousy comes back to bite me in the ass.  
  
<brChapter 11:  
  
  
  
You know I never was what you would call a huge country music fan, but lately, I’ve been tapping into the music of pain. There’s something strangely healing about the ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’ soundtrack…  
  
"Buffy, honey is something bothering you?" Mom smiled down at me, turning off my stereo.  
  
"No?" I sighed. "Why?"  
  
"Well, your choice of music has gotten very ‘down on the farm’ lately." She smiled.  
  
Moms seem to come equipped with a sixth sense. They always manage to know when something’s wrong with you, even when you’re not sending out overt signals of pain through bad country music.  
  
She gave me a soft smile as she sat down next to me on the bed, running her fingers through the length of my hair, they way she use to do when I was a kid.  
  
"There’s nothing wrong." I mumbled.  
  
"Mmm-hmm."  
  
" Absolutely nothing to talk about…"  
  
"I know."  
  
"Why doesn’t he want me?!" I moaned. What I couldn’t help it, her mom vibes were getting to me.  
  
"Why doesn’t who want you?"  
  
I sat up, covering my face with my hands for a moment. I could smack myself for opening the floodgates known as mother-daughter bonding time…  
  
"I like this guy, which is fine with me most of the time but…"  
  
"He doesn’t feel the same way?"  
  
I sniffed, shaking my head. Not gonna cry, not gonna cry, not gonna cry… "Nope." I sighed loudly. "Can’t say I blame him, I’m selfish, egotistical, shallow…"  
  
"Loving, caring, beautiful, compassionate." She smiled at me. "Buffy, you’re a wonderful person, and I’m not just saying that because I’m your mother…"  
  
"Right…"  
  
"Who takes care of me? Who makes sure that I drink that god awful juice in the morning?" She smiled, pulling me closer. "And who makes sure I never marry again." Mom laughed. "If it weren’t for you, husband number 4 would have been that carnival operator."  
  
"What were you thinking mom, a carnie?!"  
  
"That’s my point, Buffy, you look for the people you love. Yes you can be shallow…"  
  
"How is this being supportive…"  
  
"But you’re also a beautiful person inside and out, and if this guy can’t see that, he’s an idiot, and frankly I don’t know if I want you with a stupid boy like that."  
  
I could feel the cliché hug coming on, but I went with it, and actually it felt really good.  
  
Moms: more comforting than ‘Man of Constant Sorrow’ any day.  
  
**************************************************  
  
I never realized just how nice of a guy Oz really was. I mean, even after I was a complete bitchy Buffy to him, he still got his band mates to agree to play the carnival and volunteered to work overtime helping me with it.   
  
Daniel ‘Oz’ Osborne isn’t exactly what one would call a ‘chatter box’, but after spending weeks working together, I acquired the skill of decoding his stoic facial expressions. We managed to have an entire conversation using less than five words…  
  
"How’s this?" He smiled, holding up the banner.  
  
"That’s great. I bow to your banner making skills."  
  
And his hair, not so much cotton candy like any more as it is unique…  
  
"I’m gonna need to steal some of your blue." He grinned, dipping his paintbrush into the paint at my side, giving me a quick swipe across the cheek before I knew it.  
  
"Oz!" So help me god if this stuff clogs my pores…! He laughed, shaking his head and grabbed a paper towel.  
  
"Come here." He smiled, gently rubbing at the vivid blue paint on my cheek. The rubbing suddenly stopped, replaced with a very odd look on the face of Oz, a look I’ve honestly never seen.   
  
"Did it come off?" I asked nervously, a thin smile crossing my lips. Why is he looking at me like that?! Oz only has three facial expressions, what the hell is going on?!  
  
He shook his head. "Nope, still there." He whispered as he leaned in and kissed me.   
  
Despite my utter shock, I managed to kiss him back, but it didn’t feel…right. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice, extremely nice as kisses go, but there was something missing for the both of us I think…  
  
"I think we’re done for today." I smiled.  
  
"Yeah." He nodded. "I’ll see you tomorrow." Oz grinned, giving me a quick kiss.  
  
"Buffy who’s your friend?"   
  
At first, I was chalking my extreme dizziness up to the paint fumes that had been assaulting my nose for nearly three hours straight, but, nope, the sight of Spike and my mom standing in the dining room doorway had to be the real reason I felt like passing out…  
  
Mom smiled rather affectionately at Oz, who at the moment had maneuvered around the table to shake her hand and introduce himself. Spike, however looked a lot more pale than usual, and if looks could kill, Oz would’ve been a dead man…  
  
God, Spike really works the protective big-brother vibe when any male over the age of ten is within fifty feet of me.  
  
Oz gave me a little smile and a wave as he headed out the door, yelling "See you tomorrow, Buffy."  
  
I hate it when moms get that cheeky ‘you’ve got a boyfriend’ grin on their faces…my mom’s is by far the worst…  
  
"And I thought you said he didn’t like you?"   
  
I gave a sidelong glance in their direction, mainly aimed at Spike, as I started to clean up the paint and other various banner making supplies.   
  
"He’s not the guy." I sighed.  
  
  
  
Chapter 12:  
  
  
  
"We need to talk…"  
  
Okay, I have to admit, the next day at school I was avoiding Oz like the plague. I never know the best way to let someone down. With Riley it was a much-deserved shot to the nose, and breaking up with Angel entailed my lovely knee meeting his groin head on, but I really like Oz and wish to keep his various body parts in reasonable working order.  
  
"I really like you, Buffy." He smiled, sitting down next to me.  
  
"I know…"  
  
"But I think we’re better off as friends."  
  
Alright, is there something in the water around here?! The second I get ready to do the letting down, I’m the one who’s cast off! Like reality television, this trend needs to stop…  
  
"Just friends?" I asked smiling.  
  
"Don’t get me wrong, you’re sweet, funny, reasonably dollsome…"  
  
Reasonably?! I raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Okay…" He chuckled. "Extremely dollsome, you’re beautiful, you know that."  
  
"Yep, but I just like hearing it come from a voice other than my inner one."  
  
"You would be a perfect girlfriend but that kiss yesterday" He paused. "It lacked…"  
  
"Spark?"  
  
He nodded solemnly, giving me a warm smile.  
  
"You’re still all about Willow, huh?"  
  
"Yeah." He sighed loudly, running a hand through his dark blue hair. "Unfortunately I’m not so high on the Willow food chain anymore."  
  
Yeah, thanks to me and my ‘helping’ hand…  
  
"It’s all my fault." I sighed.  
  
"How is Willow’s sudden lack of charm and all humanity your fault?"   
  
"I’m the one who helped her transform into the demon that’s currently wearing her face. I’m the one who convinced her you weren’t good enough for her…"  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Of course that was before I knew you." I quickly added.  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"Don’t feel bad about your Willow troubles, you’re not the only one who’s been rejected. At the moment I’m three for three…"  
  
"You and that Spike guy, huh?"  
  
Wait, how did he know that?! "How’d you know that?"  
  
"It was a little obvious." Oz smiled. "Plus, the icy glare I got from that guy…that’s a perfected icy glare, that sort of thing just doesn’t come natural."  
  
"He can be a little overprotective of me sometimes."  
  
"Well, you bring that out in people."  
  
I was beyond happy with how things turned out with Oz, luckily we both felt the same way, and he made it through our conversation without having to go to the emergency room. I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder.  
  
"You’re still my date for the carnival tomorrow, right?" I asked.  
  
"Most definitely." He said, putting his arm around me, pulling me closer.  
  
"You really felt nothing when you kissed me?"  
  
"Not a thing."  
  
  
************************************************  
  
  
I sighed loudly ass I flopped down at the table with my stack of books. Trying to get good grades the hard working, honest way is a crock of bull. Who the hell cares about Marie-Antoinette?! So she lost her head and offered the locals some cake, blah, blah, blah, how is this possibly important in 2002? Now, maybe if she led a GLADD rally against Eminem or something, then she’d be interesting.  
  
"Hi Buffy."  
  
I don’t exactly know how long its been since Willow and I had an actual conversation, even an actual smile in each others direction, but here she was in the Sunnydale High library. Standing across from my table, a nervous grin on her face, wearing an adorable peasant top and skirt.  
  
"Hi Will."   
  
I motioned for her to have a seat. You know, one never fully realizes the hell that is blistering awkward silence until you’ve experienced it for five minutes straight.  
  
"I’m sorry, Buffy." She smiled softly.  
  
"I know, Will, I’m sorry too!"  
  
"I know, god I missed you!"  
  
"I missed you too!"  
  
"Let’s never fight again, okay."  
  
The second our apologies were out, the climate in the space between us was completely shifted, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like I had my friend back.  
  
"So…" She began, tapping her pencil on the table. "You and Oz? That’s, that’s new and totally unexpected."   
  
Crap, I had forgotten just how fast news travels at Sunnydale. Oz and I had been spending so much time together lately, that rumors were running rampant. I actually had a freshman ask me if I was pregnant with his rainbow-haired love child…  
  
"No, Will, we’re just friends." I smiled, glancing over my notes once again. "He’s a great guy."  
  
"Yeah." She muttered. "But Spike’s great also…"  
  
And now the climate is back to cloudy with an extreme chance of thunderstorms…  
  
"Yeah." I turned the page in my notebook, readying my pen to jot down more notes, only it suddenly felt like doodling. "So, how are things with you two?"  
  
"Oh, it’s great."  
  
And there’s the tornado warning…  
  
I grit my teeth, trying to put on the happy face. I want Will and I to be friends again, I truly missed her, and I’ve really got to get over this stupid jealousy thing.  
  
"We talk all the time, and talk, and talk some more…really I wish his lips would stop flapping and start smooching." She grumbled.  
  
He hasn’t kissed her yet?! Spike the ‘this is my tongue would you like to meet it’ Spike hasn’t kissed Willow after weeks of going out? I felt a little twinge as I turned my doodle page. I’d be lying if I said it was anything but pure joy…  
  
"He hasn’t kissed you yet?"  
  
"Nope, just talk." She sighed. "All about the talking."  
  
"What do you talk about?"  
  
Willow shrugged, bringing the pencil to her mouth. "Oh you know, the usual, Freud, you, Jung, you, Tolstoy, you, Salinger, you, the difference between slurpies and sluhies, you…"  
  
Is it just me or is there a pattern to their various topics of conversation…?  
  
"Wow, you guys really talk about school related topics a lot. Don’t you know you’re required to take your head out of the books on a date."  
  
Come on, discussing freshman psych on a date, I can’t believe Spike would be that pompous!  
  
  
****************************************************  
  
  
I was unpleasantly surprised when Spike decided to tag along with Oz, Willow, and I to help with carnival setup. Cordy would have come, but there was another ‘incident’ involving her thousand-dollar dress, and little Corry Merrick’s unfortunate allergy to orange juice…the results, not pretty.  
  
"You didn’t have to come." I semi-glared at Spike as I arranged the paints along the table in the face painting tent.  
  
"I wanted to help." He grumbled.   
  
"We have plenty of help."  
  
"What’s your problem lately?!" He snapped, coming closer to me. My problem?! How about his complete ignoring of my obvious feelings for him and the fact he’s dating one of my best friends!  
  
"I don’t have a problem!"  
  
"Yeah, bloody right you don’t." He mumbled, rolling his eyes. "What’s the matter, got in a fight with your boyfriend?"  
  
"Boyfriend?! I don’t have a boyfriend…"  
  
"So what, you were just tonguing Ox hello the other day?!"  
  
The nerve of that bastard! "His name is Oz, little brain, and we’re just friends."  
  
"Oh yeah, you’re very bloody friendly."   
  
"Just cause you’re not having make out sessions with Will, doesn’t give you the right to jump on my back about Oz!"  
  
That’s a new look. The one he’s giving me, I’ve never seen before…just another weird Spike facial expression to log on my chart…  
  
He cocked his head to the side, grinning at me, the evil grin not the cute one. "Why would I be having ‘make out sessions’ with Willow as you put it?  
  
"Well, you are dating her aren’t you…?"  
  
"We’ve gone out a few times, we have fun, but I’m not dating her." He sighed. "I like Red, I do, but there’s no spark there. She doesn’t drive me crazy." Spike’s smile suddenly shifted from the arrogant grin, to the dead sexy smile, and was he standing that close to me when this conversation started…?!  
  
"I need someone to drive me crazy."  
  
Drive him crazy? Hell, I’m pretty good at that…  
  
He grinned, poking me in the side. God, somehow every fight we have ends up with him tickling me.  
  
"Don’t." I warned, already beginning to laugh.  
  
"Don’t what?" He said innocently, grabbing me with his whole hand, digging his fingers deep into my sides. I was laughing so damn hard, I crumbled to my knees, and he was on me in an instant. Spike had me down on the ground, straddling my waist, his fingers hitting all of my target spots (the stomach, the thigh, the ribs..).   
  
"Spike! Stop, please!" I begged in between giggles, but truth be told, I rather like this position we’re in now…  
  
He laughed, pinning my hands above my head. "What’s the magic phrase?"  
  
"You know I don’t remember, jackass, let me up!"  
  
"Say it and I’ll think about it." He grinned.  
  
"What part of ‘don’t remember’ do you not understand! Now, do you plan on letting me up any time soon?!" Of course I love having him above me like that, but I don’t want him to know that. He may not be with Willow after all, but he still doesn’t feel the same way about me…  
  
"No I don’t." He said, his voice dropping a bit. "If that’s all right with you?"   
  
Before I could utter another word, his lips were on mine. Soft, nice, teasing…I could so get use to this…  
  
"Buffy, Spike do you guys need anything…oh god."  
  
Oh god, Willow!   
  
Great, kill my moment why don’t you.   
  
  
Chapter 13:  
  
  
  
Author’s Note: *ducks a punch* Hey, no need for violence people! *Silver…I know it’s you…, put the rotten fruit back in your coat pocket missy…* Okay, I’m very sorry for the long wait on…well pretty much everything I’m working on at the moment. I know, I usually only torture you guys for a couple of days or so, but when you have a Muse that’s as big of a lush as mine, *Shakes her head* the poor thing just couldn’t stop hitting the bottle long enough for me to actually sit down and pen chappy 13 for you guys. Finally, after taking away the Jim Bean, and agreeing to do belly shots with her later…we came up with this. Enjoy ;D  
  
And yes, it is rather short in my opinion, but I wanted to hold off on the goods until the final chappy ;D.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Spike stumbled to his feet as Will ran out of the tent, I know this probably makes me the villain of the piece, but I had completely forgotten about Will…and can you really blame me for being slightly miffed at her for ruining my smoochies?!  
  
"Bloody hell." He sighed heavily, helping me to my feet. "I should go after her."  
  
I shook my head, smoothing out my fairly disheveled clothing. I couldn’t let Spike be the one to do the talking, after all Willow was my second in command on the best friend front, plus guys are so utterly bad at situations like this he’d only fuck it up.  
  
"No, you and your lips have done enough." I smiled. "I’ll do the damage control."  
  
With my popular status and you know, the large amount of jealous females at Sunnydale, you would think I’d be an old pro at this. Truth be told, I’ve never been one to move in on a guy some other girl had her sights on…   
  
It’s so great of me to start with one of my best friends in the world.  
  
I found Wills slumped on the bench next to the cotton candy machine. I had never felt guiltier in my entire life! The guilt was pounding in on me from all directions and the fact that I could still taste Spike on my lips…so not helping the situation.  
  
She looked up at me briefly, giving me a good glare before putting her head down again. I don’t like the Willow glare, it just seems, so unnatural, plus a little scary.   
  
"Go away, Buffy."  
  
"Okay."   
  
I sighed, sitting down next to her. Come on, like that ‘go away, Buffy’ stuff was really going to work. We need to talk and I need to be absolutely honest with her for once. Of course the talking didn’t come as quickly as I had hoped it would. Awkward silence is becoming more painful than a leg wax…  
  
"I should have known." She sighed loudly, sitting up.   
  
"Wills, I’m sorry…"  
  
"I mean, yeah I kinda suspected Spike had a thing for you, I just didn’t think I’d find out in living color like that."  
  
Suspected?! Will suspected Spike had a thing for me…  
  
"Suspected? What’s this about suspecting…"  
  
"Come on, Buffy, it was so obvious." She sighed. "Stupid me for trying to ignore it."  
  
"Yeah, cause all of the insults and the seething hatred just screamed crush…" I rolled my eyes.  
  
Will may be a smartie, but when it comes to guys, I’m the genius and I know when a guy is jonesing for me…  
  
"Technically…" She began. "Yeah."  
  
Okay…maybe I don’t.  
  
Willow gave me a sidelong glance, laughing softly. Hey, at least she’s laughing for whatever reason and as soon as Wills stops looking at me with seething hatred I’ll have it made…  
  
"Bitch." She said with a grin.  
  
I guess Will and I are going to be okay after all…  
  
"Whore." I shot back with a grin of my own.   
  
"Home-wrecker."  
  
"Geek."  
  
"Gosh Buffy, that one hurt."  
  
"Sorry. I’m so sorry…"  
  
"Vapid prima-donna."  
  
"Carrot-top."  
  
*******************************************  
  
I found Spike still in the tent, pacing around like a mad man. I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t completely adorable. He stopped at the sight of me, a nervous smile forming on his lips.  
  
"Everything good?"   
  
"Yep." I nodded.   
  
Okay, I have to admit, the whole time on my way back to the tent I had this elaborate fantasy playing out in my mind. I dreamt that I would tell Spike everything with Willow had gone great (which it surprisingly had), and then he would sweep me up into his arms and make with the kissing again…  
  
"That’s good." He mumbled, still pacing.  
  
Instead he took to mumbling and wearing a hole in the ground.  
  
"Okay, if you don’t stop doing that, I’m going to have to rip your legs off, Spike."  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"The pacing! It’s, it’s making me dizzy."  
  
He stopped (thank god) and smiled at me, rubbing his hands together. "Sorry, luv. I wasn’t sure how concerned I should look before I went right back to kissing you."  
  
The unmistakable tingles reappeared and I was all ready and willing to get back to the kissing, actually breathing had become a second, less important priority at the moment, but at the same time I had evil Buffy talking in my ear…  
  
"Who said anything about kissing?" I grinned.  
  
Okay, I can hear you all screaming, I know you must think I’m completely insane, but I couldn’t help it. Evil Buffy was busy doing a tap-routine on my shoulder and she wanted to see Spike stew in his own juices for a while.   
  
"Oh you’re bloody kidding me."   
  
Score one for Evil Buffy…  
  
"I mean, why would I be kissing you when I’m here with Oz?"  
  
He chuckled, coming closer to me. "You’re a sodding comedian."  
  
"Mmm-hmm."  
  
He wrapped an arm around me, drawing me closer. Being this close to him, looking into his eyes, which had taken on the deepest shade of blue I had ever saw I swear I could feel everything else around us melting away. I unconsciously wet my lips, giving him a smile.  
  
"We’ve got work to do."   
  
"We do, don’t we." Spike whispered, his lips inches from mine.   
  
"And we should get to that…the work, I mean."  
  
"Right. Plenty of time to…talk, later."  
  
"And we have a lot to talk about…"  
  
It seems so cliché to say this, but I could actually feel my legs growing weak. There they were, those pouty lips inching closer towards mine…turning up into a smirk, a smirk?! What the hell is he smirking for?!  
  
"Right." He said, quickly unwrapping his arms from around me. "We’ve got work to do, so I’ll talk to you later then?"  
  
I glared as Spike walked out of the tent, laughing all the way. I’m supposed to be the one pulling the seduction routine here! I’m supposed to make him go all weak and kitteny, and groany from not getting any more smoochies, not the other way around!  
  
That bastard…  
  
  
Chapter 14:

  
  
Okay, maybe I’m a little impatient.

I’ve practically gone an entire week without hearing one word from Spike, and it’s fine. I mean, I’m not one of those loser girls who sit by the phone waiting with baited breath for the guy they want to finally give them a ring. I could really care less that I haven’t seen or heard from him since the night of the carnival….

It was just one, tiny make out session and I’m not going to go all psycho just because we haven’t talked about it like we said we would.

His not calling or bothering to come by just means bastard Spike is back in control…and it really doesn’t phase me one way or another…

“Rosa! I told you stay off the main line, I’m trying to keep it open!"

What? Me playing phone commando has absolutely nothing to do with Spike.

Like I said, I could care less if he calls, but you know, in case he does, I just wanna make sure he can through…

  
******************************************

  
“You’re freakin’ aren’t you?" Faith laughed, shoving the rest of the pizza into her mouth. I wonder how the hell is she able to eat like a pig and still keep that killer body? Maybe she has a tapeworm…

“I am not ‘freakin’."

“Yeah you are, it’s written all over face! So you and Bleached Blondie’s tongues got to know each other a little better and he hasn’t called you up to schedule the next grope-fest." She grinned. “Hence the freakin."

I sighed, shaking my head. “Why do I listen to anything you say…"

“Cause you know I’m right, B. Voice-O reason and all."

Okay, so she was right…in a way…alright, in a big way.

In the risk of sounding sappy and overly dramatic, Spike means a lot to me, kissing Spike meant a lot to me and the idea that maybe he didn’t really feel everything I did when our lips met, scared me. I hate being this vulnerable and stupid teenager like, but I’m in love here, the big, dangerous kind of love and I need the ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ from him before I continue to take the plunge.

God, that really did sound stupid and overly dramatic, huh?

Faith gave me a reassuring smile, propping her feet up next to me. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, you’ll hear from him."

“And if I don’t?"

“Then you know where to find me." She shrugged. “We’ll do the comfort food thing."

“That’s code for ‘breaking Spike’s legs’ isn’t it?" I smiled.

“You know it, B."

  
***********************************************

  
Art always remained a boring mystery to me.

One might think because my mom runs the most successful gallery in town, that I would be into looking at paintings I didn’t understand while listening to arrogant windbags make up deeper meanings about splatters on a canvas, but it never interested me at all…

Well, that was until the big Phallic Art exhibit…(no pun intended).

In the few times I had actually made a point to come to the gallery, I had never seen it this crowded…and mysteriously filled with teenagers. I won’t lie to you, of course I walked in with a cheeky grin on my face, expecting it to be like ‘Fertility God Playgirl’ in here, but surprisingly this stuff was beautiful in it’s own really weird, naked way. And not at all exciting in the ‘good down low tickle’ kind of way as Faith would say.

I was busy taking in the sight of the statue Kokopelli and secretly vowing to remain a virgin forever, when I felt it. A pair of big strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him…

“I don’t think I like you staring at this thing for so long, luv." He drawled in my ear. “I mean, I am only a mere mortal…those standards are impossible to live up to."

I could feel myself begin to turn into the standard puddle of goo at the sound of his voice combined with the feel of being in his arms, but I quickly recovered, shrugging him off. Just because Spike is here making with the lovey dovey doesn’t mean I’m magically not pissed about his not calling or not coming over, and all around general ignoring of me for an entire week! I don’t care how incredibly yummy he looked in that suit, with his hair all curly and mussed instead of slicked back….and god, did he smell good…

But I so don’t care!

“Wow, he still lives." I sneered at him, rolling my eyes. “Who woulda thunk it."

Spike sighed heavily. “I take it you’re mad."

“You think!" Jesus, when did guys become so stupid.

“I can explain…"

“Don’t bother." I said, turning to walk away. Spike grabbed my arm, stopping me, and pulled me through the crowd into the direction of the stairs. What the hell does he think he’s doing?!

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!"

“Shut your gob for once, Buffy. We need to talk."

He dragged me into mom’s upstairs office (the one she practically never keeps locked like she should), and shut the door loudly behind us, backing me up against the wall.

I cut my eyes at him. “You’re getting really good at playing…" I was right at the point of insult, when he kissed me. It was nothing like our first kiss, this was hard, demanding, and passionate and you know all of those other adjectives they use in romance novels. I moaned into the kiss as he pulled me closer, his tongue had stopped it’s attack and went straight to the good, slow massaging…and whoa, I’ve never moaned from a kiss before…

Spike pulls away and he smiles at me, not a smirk, but the genuine smile that makes him undoubtedly the most beautiful man in the world.

“Caveman." I said breathlessly, finishing my insult. Hey, I never waste a good jab…

He chuckled, nibbling at my bottom lip, before giving me a brief kiss.

“Bloody right I am."

“You’re definition of ‘talking’ does not resemble our earth definition."

“My ‘talking’ is far more advanced…" He grinned, leaning in to kiss me again. I put a hand up between us, pushing him back, as much as I’m craving more smoochies, I want some answers dammit! I don’t sit by a phone for just anyone….not that I sat waiting by the phone…

“Uh-uh. You’ve got some s’plaining to do."

He sighed. “If I could have called or come to see you…you know I would’ve in a heart beat, luv…"

“Mmm-hmm…"

“But, it seemed like my professors all chose last week to loose their sodding minds, and I was so bogged down with work that I didn’t leave my apartment until today when I got a phone call from mum…"

“She’s not your ‘mum’…"

“Telling me about the exhibit opening." Spike smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Finding you here tonight was an unexpected surprise."

“So that’s it?!" I scoffed. You have got to be kidding me… “That’s your big excuse for leaving me hanging, you had homework?!"

“Yeah, it’s the truth, pet."

“Oh please…" I rolled my eyes. Homework?! Angel could tell me a better lie even when I caught him in the act….

“As long as I’ve been waiting to kiss you, to tell you how I’ve felt, do you really think I’d put myself through another week of not seeing you if I couldn’t help it?!"

“How long?" I asked in a tiny voice. Suddenly, I was feeling very stupid…

“How long what, luv?"

“Have you been waiting?"

Spike laughed, putting his arms around my waist, drawing me in closer. “Since I got of the bloody plane…back in ’99."

Did I mention what an incredibly slow learner I am?

  
  
Chapter 15:

  
  
**Author’s Note:** *clears throat* Okay, I had it in my head that this fic would remain in the realm of PG-13 forever and ever. But, as a gift to our adorable Site Momma and my cyber pal Silver, I decided to present some NC17-ness to the great group of gals and guys who frequent Spuffy Archives. This is just for you cause it’s not everyday one of my buddies does a cheerleading routine for me *winks at my Furious Eddie*. I’ve never written a love scene in first person point of view before…so…yeah, I’m inflicting my first attempt on you guys, enjoy ;D.

  
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“Why didn’t I start watching this sooner? This Spongebob bloke, is bloody brilliant."

“I do believe that was quite possibly the most British thing you’ve ever said." I smiled up at Spike, repositioning my head on his chest so I could get all comfy again.

After some much needed ‘catching up’ in the gallery, we decided to head back to my place, just to hang and get in all of that good new couple quality time. Of course by quality time I mean making out like lust bunnies on my bed, well at least until ‘Spongebob’ came on.

He gave me a playful scowl and kissed the top of my head. “I’m choosing to ignore that."

“Mmm-hmm."

“Question, luv. What the hell is in Krabby Patty?"

I laughed, looking up at him again. We’ve only been officially together for a few hours now and already Spikey’s feeling my influence…

“What’s so funny?" He asked.

“Mister ‘Cartoons are beneath me, what’s on Fox News’ is suddenly a ragging Spongebob fan?"

“What?" He shrugged. “The little bugger’s endearing is all."

I already have the feeling that Spike and I are going to be one of those sickeningly sweet couples who torment all of their friends with the ‘I love you, baby’s’ and the endless smooches, and you know what, I can’t wait. I’ve never felt like this before, never even came close to and I think I’m ready for everything that comes with this kind of territory…

I felt his hand move under my shirt and surprisingly, I didn’t panic. Way back when I was diluted enough to date Angel, anytime things got remotely intimate, it scared the bejesus out of me. It was like I knew he only wanted one thing from me, and that quickly made our alone times more terrifying than romantic. There was this huge relaxation factor with Spike. I know he would never go any farther than I wanted him to…and if he didn’t stop rubbing my stomach, then I would be forced to jump him…

“Mmm…" I moaned absently, and gave him a half-hearted scowl of my own. “Hey, I’m actually trying to pay attention and you’re all making with the distractions…"

“That’s the plan."

I chuckled a little and shut my eyes, just concentrating on the way it felt having his hand lightly grazing my skin…

As stupid as it may sound, something as small as a tummy massage had ignited a fire deep within me. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it made me a little nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous, not a bad kind.

I’m sure every girl has this vision of what her first time should be like, and for me the fantasy always consisted of a big bed, covered in satin sheets, surrounded by drippy candles like they have in almost every ‘Young and the Restless’ sex scene. The whole thing topped off with Chris Isaac’s ‘Wicked Game’ playing in the background. A lazy night spent laughing and watching Nickelodeon never really figured into the ideal.

The second I opened my eyes, I knew. I think this was just one of those many scary plunges I was willing to take with Spike and Spike only.

I repositioned myself, giving him a smile before I leaned in and kissed him. Like all of our kisses, it started out slow. I love these slow kisses, his lips are so pillow soft for a guy’s, and taking the good and slow approach always leaves more time for tasting…

With Spike, the taste is never really the same. This time when I lightly ran my tongue along the outline of his lips, there was the faintest hint of tobacco, though I seem to remember him swearing he would quit, and the sweet taste of the cherry Blow Pop he’d swiped earlier from my secret stash.

While things may have started out all slow and teasing, it took virtually no time before they became heated. The hand that had been rubbing my stomach, quickly snaked around to the small of my back, and his free hand fisted in my hair, effectively holding me closer to him.

I pulled away from Spike, panting (stupid need for breath) and met his eyes with my own. They were the darkest shade of blue I had ever seen, completely clouded with lust. I guess mine must have been a hazel carbon copy of his, because he cocked his head to the side a bit, looking very much like my old dog Dawnie use to whenever she heard music coming out of the stereo.

“Are you sure about this?"

Without a moment’s hesitation, I nodded.

“Yeah."

“You sure we’re not rushing this, luv…?"

I smiled, placing a hand on his cheek. “I’m sure."

Spike pulled me in again, pressing a hard kiss to my lips, stopping his attack a little too quickly. What the hell did he stop for?!

“What the hell did you stop for?!"

He chuckled softly, letting me go, and climbed off the bed. “I’ll be right back."

I nodded stupidly, and made an attempt to get myself situated on the bed, after he left the room.

One of my major peeves are girls who act as if their first time were no big deal, and they were magically granted the gift of being a sexual pro the instant they got naked. So, I won’t pretend that all of my bat-sized butterflies about this moment suddenly went away just because it was going to be with Spike…

I was still extremely nervous, I mean, he’s done this before, and though I know the basic mechanics, I have no clue what I’m doing. What if we don’t ‘fit’ right, what if I’m really bad at this and he never wants to sleep with me again, and oh god, what if I didn’t shower as good as I thought I did…should I get up and go shower again, just to be safe?!

I sighed loudly, mentally kicking myself for the stupid thoughts, and went back to finding the right position on the bed…

Should I lay down or sit up, take my clothes off or keep them on and wait for him to do it in the heat of the moment?

Argh!

If I don’t stop this, I’ll give myself an aneurysm.

Spike gave me a rakish grin as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He sat down on the end of the bed, turning to face me, and held up the condom package he had gripped between his thumb and forefinger.

“Insurance policy." He smiled.

“Oh, please tell me you didn’t get that from my mom’s room…" Jeez, if there’s one thing that could guarantee I stay a virgin for life…

“No, luv." He chuckled softly. “I got it from my old room. Um, when I was staying here earlier, you know waiting for my furniture and all…I was seeing Darla and…"

“I get it." I nodded, pulling my lips tightly together. “I mean, not exactly a thing a girl wants to hear before…"

“Oh I didn’t!" He piped up, a tiny blush creeping across his cheeks. “I mean, we didn’t. Darla and I…it was like a ‘just in case’." Spike smiled, placing the condom on the edge of the nightstand, and moved closer to me on the bed, pulling me into a quick kiss. “Behold my luck."

I smiled and lay down, stretching out on my side and Spike quickly followed suit. His hand moved beneath my hip and he pulled me closer, planting a fury of chaste kisses on my lips.

Spike smiled loving, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “One last time, pet…are you absolutely sure?"

I smiled, pulling him into a kiss to give him my final answer. Words are so overrated anyway.

Honestly, I could have stayed that way all night. I love kissing him. Spike’s lips barely moved against mine, and that was enough to send a shiver down my spine. I felt the tip of his tongue dart out and touch the tip of my lips, asking for entrance. I opened my mouth to him and felt a moan building in the back of my throat as he coaxed my tongue to dance with his.

You’d think after all of the making out we’ve been doing, I would be kinda used to the feelings I get when we kiss, but it’s still so overwhelming to me, and I think it always will be. When I kiss Spike, it’s like I loose all ability to think, rhyme and reason, right and wrong…it all seems to disappear, and I feel like I’m drowning.

His hand moved beneath my hip and he pulled me closer, the kiss having reached a fevered pitch. My nerves were blocked out for a second as I found myself concentrating more and more on the feel of the wetness and the heat of his mouth, and the way his tongue swirled against mine. Spike broke the kiss, his breath coming out in pants (stupid need to breathe), and he smiled at me, slowly running his hand over my thigh.

The nerves came slamming back as I sat up, clasping the hem of my shirt. He just lay back, staring me up as I started to pull the shirt over my head. I’ve never been naked in front of a guy before, well, I mean, with Angel, the lights were always off so he never exactly got a good eye full of topless Buffy. With Spike, here I am in full view thanks to my bedside lamp, and I can’t help feeling a bit self- conscious.

I tossed my shirt to the ground and brought up my fairly shaky fingers to work on unclasping my bra. I’ve been wearing a bra since I was like ten years old…okay, okay, since I was like twelve. I was kind of a late bloomer boobs wise, actually I think I’m still in the process of blooming…anyway, in those six years of bra wearing, I’ve done this unhooking thing thousands of times, and yet…

Spike gave me a warm smile as he sat up, and moved his hands around to my back, undoing the hooks without a problem. I smiled sheepishly at him and sent the bra sailing to the ground to join my shirt.

What? It was the nerves…

Spike’s eyes roamed over me, studying me, and in the process bringing ‘self-conscious Buffy’ back into the game.

“What?" I asked meekly.

“Nothing." He said softly, shaking his head. “You’re just…bloody beautiful. Can’t wait to see all of you."

His fingers grazed the taut flesh of my stomach slowly working their way upward. I shut my eyes briefly and made another soft sound in the back of my throat as the pads of his thumbs brushed across my nipples, relishing in the way it felt when he touched me.

My eyes opened once again, and I brought my shaky fingers to rest on one of the buttons on his dress shirt. At least this time they didn’t go lame on me and suddenly forget how to undo a button. I slowly pulled the shirt off of him and tossed it off to the side, not really caring where it landed. The last time I saw Spike with his shirt off, he was a scrawny, awkward sixteen-year -old, and honestly, there wasn’t much to be impressed about, but this time…

He was lean, but chiseled, and his skin, a smooth alabaster. It was as if he had been cut from marble and considering the sight of him has got me waxing poetic, pretty damn impressive this time around.

Without another thought, our mouths fused together again, and I could feel myself being gently laid on my back. Spike moved over me, coming to rest on top of me, and I opened my legs, allowing him to settle between them. He broke contact with my lips, panting again. I’ve never seen him look more yummy, his hair all mussed from having my hands in it, his face flushed, and his lips swollen from our kisses…

Spike’s lips moved to my neck, lightly nipping at it, then sucking where he had nipped. He shifted downward, raining a trail of kisses over my skin as he did, coming to stop at my breasts. I let out a tiny gasp as he took one of my nipples into his mouth, and dug my fingernails into his back. It was like white hot bolts of electricity were shooting through me all at once and it was nearly impossible for me not to scream out how good it felt.

“Oh, god…Spike." I groaned as he repeated his actions on my other breast, massaging the neglected one with his hand. Kinda feeling slightly embarrassed, I’ve never heard my voice sound like that before, all heady and needy…

Spike continued his dissent, leaving a trail of kisses down my stomach, stopping when he reached the waistband of my pants. He pulled back on his knees and glanced up at me as he undid my pants. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that had reared their ugly heads again and arched up as he begun to slide the pants, along with my panties off of my hips. He scooted back some, pulling the rest of my clothing off, quickly sending it to the floor. I shut my eyes again for what was probably the thousandth time that night when I felt him plant a ridiculously chaste kiss on my inner thigh…

I couldn’t help it, the eye closing I mean. All of the sensations coursing through me were practically foreign and each one stronger and more suffocating than the one before it. I completely lost all train of thought when his tongue ran along the outside of my quim (hehe, first Spike and his new love for Spongebob and now me with the British-isms). He parted my lips and one slow stroke from his tongue, succeeded in making me quiver beneath him.

There was this ball of white hot pressure that built up in my stomach and only seemed to grow to massive proportions the second his finger entered me. The soft sucks and licks coupled with his finger moving in and out of me…the very sensation of being filled for the first time, it was almost too much for me to handle.

An exhausted moan escaped my lips, and I collapsed against the bed. It was like this giant wave of euphoria washed over me all at once, leaving me blissfully tired and breathing heavily. I felt completely spent, but I knew this wasn’t anywhere near over, nor did I want it to be.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked up at him. A small smile played across his lips but his eyes were full of love…

“You okay?" He asked softly, running his hand through the length of my hair.

“Uh-huh." I sighed happily.

Spike chuckled and bent down, capturing my lips in a searing kiss. I moved my hands to his waist, fumbling with the fastening on his pants. When he realized what I was making a lame attempt to do, he broke away from me, his fingers nimbly undoing the buttons. Spike maneuvered so he could slip off the pants and grabbed his little ‘Insurance Policy’ off of the nightstand. He quickly unwrapped the condom, rolling it on his cock.

He crawled back up the bed, once again settling between my legs, and pressed another kiss to my lips.

“Relax, okay, luv." Spike said, lightly kissing me. I tried to calm myself down as best I could, trying to get the breathing steady, but this was it, the it and the nerves were back in full force.

Spike entwined my fingers with his and gave me a warm, loving smile.

“Take a deep breath for me, Buffy, luv."

I inhaled deeply, shutting my eyes tight, then it hit me. This unbelievable amount of pain as Spike buried himself inside me. My whole body tensed, I could feel the sting of tears at the corners of my eyes, and I was sure I had Spike’s hand locked in a death grip…

He planted a flurry of kisses on my face, the lips, the tip of my nose, my eyelids, in an attempt to take my mind off of the blinding pain. My eyes fluttered open and my gaze met his head on. I smiled giving him what I guess you could call ‘the go-ahead’.

Spike begun to rock slowly against me and I feel my stupid eyes start to drift close again as the pain slowly went away and was replaced by the familiar white hot sensation in the pit of my stomach…

“Buffy, open your eyes."

They opened on his command and never left his gaze.

“That’s it, luv…concentrate on me."

Spike’s voice was so soothing that I barely noticed when he moved his free hand to my hip. He gently coaxed me into moving with him and soon I fell into the rhythm he had set. All of the nerves, all of the stupid insecurities I had about this moment begun to melt away. The only thing I found myself concentrating on was he.

Spike begun to move faster, thrusting deeper and harder, and the ball of electricity in the pit of my stomach grew just at it had before…to the point where I could barely take it.

He moved his hand from my hip, bringing it between us, and I cried out louder than I had the first time I came, and collapsed against the bed, basking in the unbelievable natural high. So this is why Anya was always going on and on about orgasms…

Spike let out a low grunt as his body jerked forward, and he buried his face against my neck, panting nearly as loud as I was. He slowly lifted up his head and gave me a lazy smile, looking equally as spent and placed a few languid kisses on my lips.

  
*******************************************

  
“I feel different. Do you feel different? Wait…stupid, of course you don’t feel different, you’ve done this before. Should I be quiet? God, I should be quiet huh, I’m talking way too much. I think I’m having a Willow moment."

Spike chuckled, pulling me closer to him. “You’re not talking too much, I rather like this side of you."

I was about to drift off into an extremely pleasant and much needed sleep when it dawned on me. Here I am sublimely happy for once and there was poor Willow, miserable when she and Oz should be together right now…

I quickly sat up in bed, smiling down at Spike. A look of dread swept over his face…he knows this look, and just like with Cordy, it scared him to no end.

“Oh no." He sighed. “What have you got up your sleeve now? I can see the wheels turning in that pretty little head of yours."

Chapter 16:

Along with the ‘Young and the Restless’ drippy candles, satin sheets, and fuzzy camera effects like ideal I had for my first time, came the ‘Morning After’ ideal.

I always figured I would wake up all nice and snuggled next to my honey, getting in a few smooches despite the horrible morning breath…

Waking up completely and totally alone definitely not a part of the ideal.

I bolted upright in bed, pulling the covers up around me.

This is what I had feared the most, I was so terrible, so inexperienced that Spike didn’t even want to get a glimpse of Buffy bed hair. He probably got dressed and bolted out of here at the speed of light. No need to stick around to verbally tell me I sucked, nope, this got the job done just fine.

I sniffed back a few of the tears that were trying hard to roll down my cheeks. I’m not gonna cry, I’m stronger than that, much stronger. I’m gonna get out of this bed, get dressed and go downstairs for some breakfast with a smile on my face and my head held high…

I glanced over at the left side of the bed where Spike had been laying when I fell asleep, as the tears spilled over.

Maybe I’ll just go and have one of those good cries in the shower instead.

This just proves my ‘once a bastard, always a bastard’ theory when it comes to Spike. He’s a cold, inconsiderate asshole who’s…

“Mornin’ gorgeous."

Standing in my bedroom doorway with breakfast.

Oops. That’s me, jump to conclusions-and-assume-the-absolute-worse girl.

The smile on his face quickly faded once he saw me frantically wipe the tears away from my eyes, and he rushed by my side, putting the food down on the nightstand.

“Buffy, luv, what’s wrong?"

“I thought…you were…" I trailed off meekly, “you were gone."

Spike reached out a hand, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I thought you might be hungry when you woke up, so I wanted to surprise you by making breakfast."

I looked briefly at the bag sitting on the nightstand, smiling at him. “You made me McDonalds?"

Spike chuckled, “My culinary skills aren’t exactly that of Jamie Oliver, luv. I must’ve burned a dozen pancakes before I finally realized that." He leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “Buffy last night was, the most amazing experience of my life," Spike grinned, kissing me again, “as cornball as that sounds, it’s true. Luv, you’ve got nothing to be insecure about. I love you. Everything about you, even the bed hair and the morning breath…I love. Trust me, I’m your guy, all wrapped around that pretty little finger of yours…"

My eyes widened as I quickly threw back the covers, jumping out of bed. Oh God…

“Where are you going? I thought we were having a bloody moment here…"

I don’t care how many couples on TV wake up next to each other and decide to shove their tongues down one another’s throats bad, horrible morning breath can suck all of the romance out of a relationship. Case in point: back when I was with Angel, Cordy threw a huge bonfire/kegger for the basketball team. Naturally, Angel got plastered and ‘just wanted to sleep next to me’ and that morning he greeted me with his tongue, and the lovely mix of Bud Light, nachos, Camels, and sinus it held…

“You smelled the breath!" I said as I slipped on Spike’s dress shirt, frantically buttoning it up. “There’s not going to be any more…moments until I go nuke this."

He laughed, grabbing me around the waist, yanking me back down into the bed.

“Conceited wench," he grinned, pulling my bottom lip into his mouth.

Oh well, morning breath be damned…

“Bastard."

“Mmm-hmm…" Spike mumbled, finally stopping with the teasing and deepening the kiss.

I’ve probably said this a million times by now, but every time Spike and I kiss, it’s like the entire world shuts out. Three of my five senses completely shut down, leaving me only with touch and taste. Not that, that’s a bad thing, it’s a very good thing, actually…

“Buffy?! Spike?!"

But hearing my bedroom door open and my mom walk in would have come in handy.

The mom scream is enough to sober up any drunk, and shatter any romantic moment. No matter how good the kissing is. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she had that look on her face, you know, the mix of shock and disappointment…

Spike chuckled nervously, inching away from me,

“Um…good morning, mum."

She smiled. Not a ‘good morning to you, too’ kind of smile, but the ‘Sadistic’ mom smile. You know the one that’s supposed to give you false reassurance before they unleash holy hell on you.

“Spike, you might want to start calling me ‘Joyce’ for a while."

*********************************

Despite the highly embarrassing scene in my room that morning, everything with mom went surprisingly well. She’s completely cool with Spike and I being together; although she did lecture us on the dangers of unprotected sex and forced us to view the STD flowchart along with the finger puppets…

I swear I thought I burned all of that stuff after the first ‘Birds and Bees’ talk she gave me.

  
  
  
**Chapter Seventeen**   
  


 

* * *

Author’s Note: *SIGH* This is it, it’s finally done though it practically took me a bleeding eternity. To those of you who stuck it out and still read, a big ‘Thank You’. I really enjoyed writing this fic and hopefully you liked reading it. Until next time, kiddies… :D

 

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There’s something about weddings that, awakens the giddy little girl in me. I get the flood of memories of me twirling around in my backyard at five years old, flowers in my hair (for some reason there’s always flowers), envisioning the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, what my dress will be like…

But, if there’s one thing I actually learned this past year, it’s that life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan. Cause, hey if it did, I’d be standing at the altar with one of the New Kids on the Block.

“You look like you’re going to vomit…"

“Being up here tends to make a bloke nervous is all."

In the end, you just kinda have to go with the flow…

“Do you Elizabeth Anne, take William to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Oh, I guess I should fill you in on a few things past, huh?

  
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**3 Months Earlier**

“This is your big plan?!" Cordy gave me a look as she slipped the note inside of Willow’s locker.

“What’s wrong with the plan?"

“I’m dejavu-ing here, Buffy. Where the hell is your creativity?!" she sighed, “I’m actually a little disappointed."

“Cordelia, this is not helping."

Okay, so I know you’re probably thinking the exact same thing as Queen C. ‘Buffy we’ve been through this note thing before. It’s like you’re revisiting the ghost of matchmaking past here. Can’t that wonderful, stylish, and incredibly intelligent brain of yours think of another way to finally bring Willow and Oz together?’

And, yeah, sure I could, but why complicate things and make more work for myself when I can simple it all up and have Wills and Oz in coupledom by tonight.

What Cordy didn’t seem to get is all those two need is a chance to talk, private and all intimate like. I know if they could just have a moment alone, everything would begin to fall back into place; Willow would babble and Oz would make a maximum of two facial expressions until there were finally smoochies.

“This is only phase one, mental giant. Believe me, by tonight, Willow and Oz will be in a happy place again, a hugs and puppies kind of place. Besides, Cordy, when have I ever been wrong about these things?"

“Gee, the last four months suddenly spring to mind."

“Shut up."

  
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“Buffy, I don’t know about this…"

“It’s just the Bronze, Will, what’s not to know?"

This is so not the time for Wills to start playing ‘Mr. Caution-man’ with me…

“‘A private affair’? Since when does the Bronze host private affairs?"

“Maybe the cockroaches wanted something after hours for once, I don’t know. Look up," I commanded, positioning the eyeliner.

Three painstaking hours of hair, makeup, and wardrobe later Willow was all dolled up and looking absolutely smashing as ever. I smiled as I watched her eye herself in the mirror. It’s funny, when we first met, Willow seemed unbelievably terrified at the sight of even a corner of uncovered flesh, but now…I could almost swear she was working her skirt up to show a little more thigh.

“How do I look?"

“Amazing."

“Really?!"

“Yeah," I shrugged, “I’d do you."

She laughed, turning away from the mirror to give me a look. “So, are you gonna get changed or what? Cause, you know, Buffy, overalls…not exactly considered stylish unless you live in Kentucky."

“Nope," I chuckled, “not gonna change because I’m not going."

I had no idea there could be three shades of pale until Willow’s face went through every stage of it, her mouth hung open slightly in disbelief,

“What do you mean you’re not…"

“I didn’t get an invite."

I gave her a wicked grin as I headed over to my bedroom door, opening it,

“You better get going, Wills, don’t wanna be late."

  
********************************

 

“And do you, William, take Elizabeth Anne to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

His stormy blue eyes locked with mine as he lightly tightened his grip on my hands.

“I do," Spike smiled.

  
********************************

 

“Aren’t they just so cute together? I mean, look at them, all nervous and fidgety…it’s adorable."

Xander chuckled nervously off of the looks we simultaneously gave him. “What?" he shrugged, “Oz and Willow are a twosome of cuteness, there’s nothing wrong with saying that."

Cordelia shook her head. “I worry about you Harris."

Despite his own sort of creepy way of putting it, Xander couldn’t have been more right. From the shadows of the balcony in the Bronze, we had a well hidden all access pass to the goings on between Will and Oz while they remained blissfully clueless about it all. You should’ve seen them; the confusion on their faces alone as they walked into the ‘empty’ club was priceless…

“I don’t see what’s so bloody great about Ox anyway. Ooh a monosyllabic bass player, all womankind must soil their panties and bow before him."

“You’re a pig, Spike," I rolled my eyes, smacking him in the arm. “And it’s ‘Oz’. I can’t believe you’re still jealous of him."

“I am not jealous!"

Honestly, it really didn’t matter how loud we all argued or smacked each other, because the two people just below us were completely off in their own little world. I swear I could feel Willow’s blush all the way up here as Oz helped to guide her fingers over the frets on his bass…

The impromptu bass lessons weren’t even a part of my master plan but I was quickly becoming grateful that Oz lugged that thing around as if it were a third leg.

  
********************************

 

Father O’Hurly smiled brightly at Spike and I before turning his gaze out towards the crowd,

“And here is where I would ask for the rings to be presented, pronounce you man and wife, thus concluding the ceremony. It’s all very simple, Mr. Giles, really there’s nothing to worry about."

“Yeah, mate," Spike grinned, “nothing to it."

Mr. Giles seemed to clean his glasses so hard I thought the lenses would crack. He gave a meek smile and a nod in Ms. Calendar’s direction before the two of them headed up to the altar, taking our place.

“Thanks you guys for doing that demonstration," Ms. Calendar said, flashing her husband-to-be a look. “I don’t think we would have made it through this rehearsal without Rupert fainting again if weren’t for you."

What, like you really thought Spike and I were getting married?! Oh please, we’ve only been dating for six months and I’m barely out of high school…

“I didn’t faint! It—it’s stuffy in here, I could have been having a bloody heatstroke!"

Like I said earlier, in life you just kind of have to go with the flow. Fate has an extremely weird and fucked up way of working things out, always bringing you the thing you least expected…

Spike cocked an eyebrow as we took our seats back in the pew next to a fairly snuggly Willow and Oz. “What’s that look?"

“Nothing," I shrugged smiling, “just love you is all."

He chuckled softly, pulling me closer and placed a kiss to my temple.

“I kinda love you too."

I’ve come to love the unexpected and really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.   
  


The End


End file.
